


Elysian

by Melimea



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3
Genre: Coming of Age, Eventual Relationships, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Growing Up Together, Slice of Life, Vault 101
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-05-03 21:30:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 70,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14578077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melimea/pseuds/Melimea
Summary: Elysian: beautiful or creative; divinely inspired; peaceful and perfect.Ever since their encounter last year he had treated her differently. He wasn’t nice to her, no never that, but he wasn’t as vindictive. He had started making it a little more playful and a little less aggressive.Little changes.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Starts as canon then slowly drifts off from that. After this first chapter really. 
> 
> Love me some bad boy/good girl nonsense. :)
> 
> This first chapter is rather short, just setting up the stage.

Vault 101 wasn’t a very friendly place. The inhabitants relied heavily on the leadership of their Overseer to help them flourish and get by day to day. Only a few people knew the secrets that were hidden there. Only a few knew of the plans originally set into play when the doors originally closed.

 

* * *

 

 

Dinah was pushing a few crates together to clear some space and also create some seating for when she got tired. Her blond hair had fallen from its ponytail for the third time and she was swiping at it angrily as she surveyed the room. This storage room was her shooting range, and while her aim had dramatically improved over the years her desire to actually shoot had not. It was by accident that Butch caught her.

 

They were fourteen, he had ducked out of her birthday again that year along with a few of his friends or gang as he had taken to calling them as of late, so she had actually enjoyed it. She had received all the sweets promised to her this year and instead of stuffing them in her face as soon as they were handed to her she had a plan to eat them in peace later. For now, just in case, they were hidden in her room. She had decided that, thanks to her father and Jonas, she would try out her improved BB gun and see how it tested out compared to her last one, which was leaning against the railing.

 

As she was taking aim at a Nuka can a loud bang and yell echoed in the small space and she quickly turned around, the gun still poised. Butch DeLoria stood at the bottom of the stairs with an expression mixed with fear and excitement and his hands raised in defense. She noticed a bruise near his eye and what looked like dried blood around his lip. All of this did not bode well for her.

 

“Well,” his hair had been shaved recently and it looked strange to see him without his curls. His face was beginning to slim down but she could still see the little boy. Slowly he lowered his hands and stuck them in his suits pockets. He had gotten taller these last few months, she very recently had been taller then him but now he made it a point to stoop over her with his added height. “What do we have here?” His voice had almost settled into itself, save for a few embarrassing moments that she had witnessed, and it made her stomach feel strange.  “Where is Amata?” He was approaching slowly but looking around. He obviously saw her gun so he was now looking for witnesses. “It’s your birthday, right? Shouldn’t your best friend be with you?” He stopped in front of her waiting for her to reply. “What are you up to, runt?”

 

She winced at the nickname. She was now the smallest of the class. Not only in height but all around. She was skinny, lanky and was never hungry. The _Tunnel Snakes,_ as they now called themselves, liked to pick on her at lunch and take her food. Amata stood up for her, but she just didn’t have the appetite anyway.

 

“What do you want Butch,” she stuck her chin out and tried to keep her eyes narrowed at him. He had that cocky look, since he started the Tunnel Snakes that was the only look he really had anymore. Crossing his arms, he leaned back and looked at her.

 

“Was gonna smoke down here. What are you up to runt?”

 

“Was shooting down here.” She pulled the gun to herself and stepped back. “It’s my birthday so just leave me alone today."

 

“I got you somethin’,” he said as she walked past, ignoring him.

 

“Not interested.” Her hand rested on the railing and she took the first few steps.

 

“Come on runt. Just show me the gun. Gomez is making rounds right now anyway.”

 

Dinah held the gun to her chest, trying to think of a way of getting out of here, while also not getting caught on her way back to the room. If Gomez was in fact out in the halls, which he had said he would need to leave early at her party to do just that, then she didn’t need to be taking this gun around with her. Chewing on her lip, a habit her father kept telling her to stop, she closed her eyes and exhaled.

 

“What happened to your face, Butch?” She took the steps back down and moved some stray blond hairs out of her face. She had a high ponytail today but already it was coming loose from the weak elastic band.

 

His eyes narrowed and his hands fell from where they had been lighting his cigarette. It hung limply from his lip for a moment before he withdrew it and blew smoke at her. “ _Fuck off_ ,” he muttered angrily.

 

“I’m the doc’s kid, remember?” She put the gun next to the crates she had moved and slid on top of one, kicking her feet as she glared back at him. “Want me to look at it?” She leaned back as he rubbed at his face. “You don’t need to tell me what happened, okay?” She sagged against the wall and rested her hands in her lap, trying not to send any negative vibes. “No one is here to see you right now, so why not. I can get you cleaned up.” Her bag was by the stairs, she always had supplies in case something was to happen. A few years back a pellet had ricocheted off a pipe and hit her in the arm. Luckily her dad had been with her, but now she was prepared anytime.

 

Tilting her head to the side she watched as he attempted to run a hand through his hair, forgetting that it had been cut recently, and he swore again. “Let me see the gun?”

 

“After,” she bargained back. He stopped in front of her and Dinah had to crane her head back quite a ways to look at his face. “Here, switch me spots? And please blow that away from my face.” She scowled as he blew it directly into her face. He sat down on the crate and Dinah enjoyed the moment of equality in height. Being careful to not actually touch him she gestured for him to turn his head in one direction, fanning smoke from her face she smiled as she noticed he wasn’t actually inhaling the smoke. Eventually she was sure he would actually start to properly smoke but for now, it was all for show.

 

As she inspected his face Butch picked up the BB gun and ran his hands along the faux wood. “Who got you this? I thought these were contraband.” One of his eyebrows quirked up and he hissed as her fingers put a little pressure around his bruise. “I want one.” He was pouting and Dinah found it utterly disgusting.

 

“I found it.” She lied and Butch rolled his eyes at her. Sighing she leaned back, running her hands through her hair as she took it down to re-tie.

 

“Yeah? Like I _found_ my switchblade?”

 

“Yeah, but I don’t go flashing mine around all the time. So, I don’t have to steal it back.” She had to stop herself from sticking her tongue out at him. She liked to think of herself as a mature girl, but then when she was around Butch the childish attitude came out. He just had that affect on people.

 

Butch shrugged at her comment and turned the gun over. She was wiping away the blood around his mouth and she noticed a deep scratch above his lip, probably the source of the blood stains. It was going to scar, and she didn’t know if she wanted to tell him that.

 

“Did you get in a fight?” She finally asked quietly as she leaned back. His eyes shot to her face and a scowl took over his face. “That cut is pretty deep and I doubt you did that yourself.” She put the cloth she had been using on the crate next to him and went to stand by the rail with her old BB gun. “Come on, you wanted to use that thing, right?” She figured if she moved on from the conversation maybe he wouldn’t shoot her.

 

Butch quickly slid off the crate and stood next to her. Taking note of how she rested the end on her shoulder he tried to mirror her. She knew better then to tell him how to do it, just let him figure it out.

 

“My dad got me one of these a few years ago, when I got my first pipboy. I think that was the last party you attended.” She took aim and hit a can on the wall, smiling as it hit the floor. Butch mirrored her and she had to hide her smile when he missed. “If you don’t tell I’ll let you shoot with me.” She was bribing, but it wasn’t a good one. She should have just grabbed the guns and made a run for it. He wouldn’t want to shoot with her.

 

Licking her bottom lip, she hit another can. “Sometimes a radroach will be down here and I will shoot it till it runs away. I accidentally killed one last year.” She glanced over and Butch had his face scrunched up as he shot and missed again.

 

“I hate radroachs.” He muttered as he shot and hit a can. He looked relieved when the can fell and she had to look away before he caught her staring at him.

 

With the added height and the dropped voice also came the cocky attitude. Hormones, her father told her one day when she asked why Amata had yelled at her for something they did all the time but now had a problem with. ‘You’ll get them soon too,’ he had looked so sad when he told her that. Butch was much quicker to anger then he had been before, and especially since his dad had gotten sick he didn’t laugh as much either. Her father had told her that Mr. DeLoria didn’t have much longer and that she should be nice to Butch. That wasn’t an easy request.

 

“Me too,” she finally replied as she stepped over the rail and picked up the cans to set them back up on the pipe. “They make really creepy noises,” she moved back and took aim again.

 

“And they stink.”

 

“Yeah, they do.”

 

It was weird to bond over BB guns and not liking bugs. Dinah looked over at Butch again and wondered if the cut was from his dad. He wasn’t the nicest guy, he beat up Butch’s mom a few times too. They may only be fourteen but that didn’t mean they were oblivious to these things. Maybe his dad had found the knife? Used it to scare Butch and actually cut him? She remembered the beating Butch got when his dad caught him drinking his whiskey. Swallowing a lump that had risen in her throat she looked away from him and shot at a can, missed.

 

“My dad didn’t mean to do this, he was just drunk.” Butch finally confessed. Dinah looked over at him and saw his eyes were shiny. “He found my knife and wanted me to understand,” he pulled the trigger again. “He’s just so sick and doesn’t have a lot of time.” Dinah lowered her gun and watched as Butch covered his eyes and bared his teeth. “Fuck,” he rubbed his eyes and lowered his hand, a glare firmly in place.

 

“I won’t say anything,” she said as she put down the gun. “If you don’t say anything about this.” She felt like an absolute jerk but it was the only way he didn’t go around spreading the word. She had taken his opening up to her and used it against him.

 

He looked furious and put the gun down before raising his arms and pushing her into the crates behind her. One toppled over and crashed against the ground, a crack forming on its side. Dinah landed hard on her bottom and looked up at him with wide blue eyes. He towered over her now and she shrunk back from him in fear. He squatted down and grabbed the front of her suit, lifting her up slightly so her face was close to his.

 

“You won’t say a damn thing because I will end you. The worst they can do to me is, what, kill me or throw me in jail? This vault is too small for them to lose someone that can be useful. You think my dad should be out in the public? No! He is a piece of shit who should have been tossed out when he killed those guys he worked with twenty years ago. He liked to tell me and mom about it. How we can do anything we want since the Overseer is a damned baby. He _needs_ us.” He pulled her closer, his nose almost touching hers. “Don’t think you can threaten me and it not haunt you.” He pushed her back onto the floor, her head hitting the crate.

 

Dinah watched, tears in her eyes, as he put his hands in his pockets and walked up the stairs. “Fuck you, Dinah,” he slammed the door behind him and Dinah quickly jumped up as he left. Grabbing the guns, she hid them inside a crate and rushed to her bag. The back of her head felt wet and she was afraid it was bleeding. When she put her hand to her head she came away with just a little blood and she swore to herself. As she rummaged in her bag she heard the door open up and she pushed herself against the wall praying it wasn’t Gomez. Pulling her bag to herself she was grateful that her first instinct had been to hide the guns.

 

Butch rounded the corner and Dinah inhaled sharply at seeing him again so soon.

When he found her along the wall she felt relief that he at least looked less angry. He approached her and sat on the ground in front of her and pulled her bag to himself. Pulling out a cloth he looked up at her, looking irritated.

 

“Gomez is making rounds.” He looked away and bit his lip. “I didn’t realize I hurt you.”

 

“You pushed me.” She said quietly, sinking to the ground. “Into wooden crates. You threatened me at the same time.”

 

His forehead creased as he dabbed the cloth with the alcohol in her bag. Patting it against her head caused Dinah to hiss but she relaxed and let him. “You threatened _me_ too.”

 

He wasn’t wrong. Dinah closed her eyes and tried to think of what to say. “I’m sorry,” she finally said, even though she felt he owed her an apology more. Butch shrugged and dabbed at her head.

 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he said in response. Dinah looked at him and realized that this was as close to an apology that she would get. This was his apology.

 

“Thanks for helping me get cleaned up.” She said as he pulled the cloth away and she saw the blood. “I should tell my dad I fell down the stairs.”

 

“You aren’t going to tell on me?” He looked genuinely confused by this. “I guess they would ask about the guns and everything huh?”

 

“Well, my dad was the one who gave it to me so he wouldn’t ask, but if he knew you knew he would take them away.” Dinah bit her lip and reached around to feel her head. No longer wet so that was good. “You didn’t hurt me too bad, it was mostly the crate.” She smiled at him but he didn’t smile back.

 

Butch didn’t typically smile.

 

“I won’t tell anyone anything,” she finally said when he stood up. He nodded and offered her his hand, helping her up.

 

“I won’t either.”

 

He never did give her the gift he had promised, but she considered this to be as close as she would ever have.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Each chapter is going to be a year in the future from the last chapter, give or take some time. Slow start but we will get there. :) Let me know if you enjoy it!

Class would be starting in only five minutes but only half of the attendees were there.

 

Dinah was sitting on the furthest right row about three back, the chair behind her and most of the front were empty.

 

Amata and Dinah had gotten into another fight, during Amata’s fifteenth birthday party, so they were avoiding each other. In a few more days they would be fine, but for now they didn’t even look at each other.

 

Dinah had called Amata out on being pampered by her dad. She had a bedroom the size of Dinah’s whole home. Amata had an actual kitchen. She had a garden _._ Amata was very privileged and it wasn’t her fault she was born into that family but it still made the rest of the kids angry. So, when Dinah didn’t have a gift for Amata this year they went at it, with witnesses. So, the girls still circled around each other as if they hadn’t been friends before.

 

That had been a few weeks prior.

 

One of them would cave within the next few days and Dinah didn’t want it to be her. When they would make eye contact they both looked like they had something to say.

 

She had gotten in trouble the day before for her hair being too long, against regulation as the Overseer said, but she had a feeling it was more because his daughter was angry with her. Though he never needed to be provoked to say something to her family. She had asked her father a few years ago why the two didn’t get along well and he had shrugged and said that some people don’t like progress. She still didn’t know what to take away from that conversation.

 

Now her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, if she couldn’t wear it down due to the length she would wear it up but improperly. She was fifteen and this was her little rebellion. It helped that the boys looked at her with her hair down and she found that she liked the looks.

 

Mr. Brotch was sitting at the front of the class, an irritated expression on his face. He was looking down at his pipboy his eyebrows furrowing as he did.

 

It was the _Tunnel Snakes,_ as they liked to be called now, who were tardy. They had been debating for five years and finally they had settled on a name. Last year after her birthday they had gone back to Hell’s Overseer’s and yet, as always, Butch got his way and they changed it back.

 

The Tunnel Snakes currently consisted of Butch DeLoria, Wally Mac and Paul Hannon. Freddie Gomez still loitered with them, but with his dad as one of the chief officers they held back on him being a full-fledged member. That didn’t mean that they didn’t encourage him to help them out when it came to knowing the patrol schedules. Just last week they used this knowledge to sneak a stink bomb in the vents. Parts of the vault still had an odor.

 

As everyone’s pipboy beeped that it was time for class Mr. Brotch sighed loudly and stood up to approach the board. As he turned his back the four missing boys pilled into the room, smirks on their faces. Dinah rolled her eyes at their childishness, it was only a little late, it wasn’t as if they had skipped out of class. They would be doing that soon enough she was sure.

 

Not turning around to see who sat behind her, Dinah tensed. She didn’t need to see who it was because she already knew. Butch _always_ sat behind her _._ Ever since their encounter last year he had treated her differently. He wasn’t nice to her, no never that, but he wasn’t as vindictive. He had started making it a little more playful and a little less aggressive. Instead of pushing her into the wall he shoved her with enough force to take a few steps back. Instead of waving his switchblade in her face he played with it near her. Instead of telling on her, he kept her secret. When they were picking on the girls in the class he moved most of his teasing to another girl. He winked at her in passing.  

 

Little changes.

 

Dinah was grateful for it, she didn’t need more to worry about.

 

Amata had been hit with puberty pretty hard this year. While she was filling out her jumpsuit more, her face reflected the hormones. Her hair was prettier, a variety of dark hues instead of just black, and her lips pouted more naturally. Instead of stuffing her bra she actually filled it out, and the other girls were jealous.

 

Dinah had started getting her monthly periods, and after a long talk with her father _and_ Jonas, she learned that most of the other girls had not, aside from Amata who had told Dinah as soon as it happened. Dinah’s father looked as if he wanted to explain why but held back and only told her it was part of vault life and that some girls not only got them later in life but less frequently and that she should just keep this to herself until other girls brought it up.

 

Dinah hadn’t been gifted physically like Amata had. She was still flat chested, her jumpsuit sagged in the front and backside. Her hair, while golden, didn’t look healthy the way Amata’s did-but it was still beautiful. Her skin was also beautiful, unlike Amatas who constantly had red splotches. It was part of the reason Dinah kept her hair so long, if nothing else they liked _that_ about her.

 

Feeling a slight tug on her hair she tilted her head back and could see Butch’s smirk as he yanked the stray strands at the nape of her neck. She made a face at him, between a pout and a glare, and he let out a huff of air that sounded close to a chuckle. Glancing around the room she watched the other Snakes mess with the people around them too.

 

Susie Mack was already swatting at Paul, abet playfully as she had an obvious crush, and Christine Kendall was rolling her neck as if someone had just touched it. Mr. Brotch had his back turned and was writing on the board, the room silent as they waited for him to start.

 

Feeling a finger lightly touch her neck sent a chill down her spine and she had to look over her shoulder and glare at the cause. Butch leaned back, having been stretched across the space between them and winked at her. She noticed he had already moved his desk forward so it was closer to hers, easier access to mess with her.

 

Butch had gotten even taller this year, towering over all the girls now. The scar from last year above his lips was white against his dark skin, she hated that it looked roguishly charming. His hair had grown over the year and he was back to having his hair gelled back, with a few stray curls. His face was thinner, almost an adult face when you looked at it, but still a little thicker around his cheeks.

 

“Today we are going to prep for your G.O.A.T. exam a little more. While a lot of it has to do with personality there is still logic and reasoning on it as well. If you turn your books to page-“ Mr. Brotch continued to speak but Dinah got distracted as a hand started pulling on her hair again, though less roughly this time.

 

Opening her book to the page Mr. Brotch had written on the board she bit her lip angrily to keep quiet as Butch pulled a few pieces of hair from the back of her head out of the bun. She would have to take it out to fix it soon and he knew that. Amata was already asking a question at the front of the room and she could hear Butch sigh, bored, as he found his book and let it fall open. As much as they wanted to act like they didn’t care, the G.O.A.T did determine their future and the boys didn’t want to all end up in sanitation. She had heard them in the hallway talking about it one night, about a month ago, with their books out looking at all the different jobs the test would put them into. They would never admit to the class that they cared, but to each other there had been talk.

 

Dinah was fairly sure that the Overseer still picked where they would go no matter how they tested.

 

She was hoping for something in the greenhouse. It had been undermaintained for as long as she could remember and it was an important part of the vault-a lot of fresh foods came from there. She would need to score well in her science and logic skills to get placed where she wanted. Her father had mentioned to her that he wanted her to take over in the clinic but Dinah had just let him talk. While she had the knowledge from her father being the residential doctor she was hoping that Jonas would marry someone soon and work on that himself.

 

Susie Mack was asking a question about the proper way to respond to a medical issue. Dinah rolled her eyes, she and Susie were not friendly and it was because of Dinah’s friendship with Amata, she was fairly sure. Since her fight with Amata she had noticed Susie not being outright hostile towards her, just glancing and not glaring. She was sure once they patched things up Susie would ignore her and be rude again.

 

Another thing her father explained away as being because of puberty. _Some kids just don’t get along,_ he had said.

 

 _After so many generations in the vault some of them start to display signs of behavioral issues that become genetic. Look at the other Macks._ He had handed her a medical record, clearly marked confidential, to look at.

 

Dinah had asked if that would happen to them too, as she flipped through the Mack’s poorly recorded history, from all _their_ generations in the vault, but he had looked her in the eye and said _absolutely not._ That had helped her relax as her family background had been fairly spotty. Before her father there hadn’t been a doctor in quite a few years.

 

She jumped, Butch was pulling her hair out of its bun and not subtly either. He had both hands in her hair, pulling out the tie. Closing her eyes, because if felt a little nice, and counting to three to stop from exclaiming she reached back and grabbed his hands, feeling that sensation she got anytime she touched a boy, and removed them. Mr. Brotch watched the exchange and told Butch to behave but they all knew that wouldn’t happen. Butch rolled his eyes and finished running his hands over her hair, the tie secured around his wrist.

 

Taking her hair together she briefly considered asking Christine for a hair tie but knowing her relationship with Susie she would probably eat it first. She moved most of it over her shoulder, to keep it off her neck, and ran her hands through the messy strands. Following along with the lesson plan and writing down the portion she would need to go over again at home, she did her best to ignore Butch.

 

After a few hours, right before they broke for lunch, she felt something poke into her elbow. She had been leaning back in her chair, a mistake, so her elbows had been far enough back for him to reach. She had braided her hair, with no tie it was loose at the ends, to prevent him from doing that and was just ignoring him anytime he touched her neck. The thing poking her elbow wasn’t his hand though, it was a piece of paper. Turning slightly, Mr. Brotch was lecturing about how the baseball team was really just a way to teach teamwork but he had been derailed when Paul asked about why they couldn’t have proper protection while playing, probably a joke about protection, and ranted about how the Overseer was looking out for our safety and to trust his decisions.

 

Her hand reached out to stop the paper but Butch left it in her fingers loosely, and it fell to the floor behind her.  She furrowed her eyebrows at it, he had not done this before, and reached down to pick it up. Butch had his feet spread out under the desk, his feet close enough that he could reach the note, and he kicked at her hand. She glared at him and sat up, deciding it wasn’t worth her time. After a moment he sighed, to himself quietly, and grabbed it with his foot and pulled it back towards himself. It was at that moment that Mr. Brotch noticed Butch grabbing something from under his foot and he moved quickly to snatch it up. The room was watching as he opened the paper and quickly scanned the contents. His eyes shifted to Dinah briefly before pocketing the note. “Mr. DeLoria, you will stay after class during lunch, you too Dinah.” He turned sharply and went back to the front. He had lost his train of thought and instead of lecturing on the importance of their Overseer he now was back on track with their book.

 

Dinah shot Butch a dirty look, his face also set in a scowl. She would be in trouble for something she didn’t even know about! He was involving her in his crimes now and she would not go down with him.

 

Crossing her arms, she spent the rest of the class glaring at her desk and ignoring Butch every time he tried to mess with her.

 

As the class filed out Amata shot her a sympathetic look, an opening to apologize that Dinah would use later, and followed the other people out. Paul and Wally gave Butch a thumbs-up on their way out snickering at Dinah’s angry face. The two sat at their desks as Mr. Brotch cleared the board, ignoring them as the rest left. He had learned long ago to wait long enough for the loiters to get bored and move on.

 

They had a two-hour break in the day so he had time to make them wait.

 

When ten minutes had passed, and Butch had groaned audibly for the fifth time, Mr. Brotch cleared his throat and approached the two, the note in his hands. He took a chair from a nearby table, an older one that wasn’t attached to the desk, and turned it around to face them both. Sitting down heavily, he crossed his arms, the note in his hands. Before he began Dinah spoke up.

 

“I have no idea what that says,” she told him with a frown. “I shouldn’t be held accountable for Butch’s jokes.”

 

Mr. Brotch nodded, cleared his throat, and looked at her directly. “I have no doubt that you don’t know what this says, but it involves you regardless and we need to address it.” He looked towards Butch who, Dinah noticed, had colored a little on his cheeks.

 

“It was a joke, teach.” Dinah closed her eyes at Butch’s comment. One, his voice had almost completely dropped to the deep octave most men had, and two he had just disrespected the man helping them shape their futures. “I didn’t mean it,” he had the grace to look embarrassed.

 

Mr. Brotch cocked an eyebrow at Butch and, after a brief moment of hesitation, handed the note to Dinah.

 

Opening it fully, having turned towards the teacher so her legs were over the side of the chair, she placed it in her lap as she read it.

 

_Want to see my snake? I know you think about it all the time so let’s get it out to play with your tunnel._

Her hand was shaking, both anger and embarrassment running through her. Looking at Mr. Brotch, unable to look at Butch, she felt her eyes water.

 

“I don’t,” she stammered out. Of _course,_ she had thought about it. She was fifteen and he was the cutest boy in class and he picked on _her._ Hormones made the air thick daily, Susie looked ready to jump Paul if she had the chance. Dinah hadn’t thought of Butch sexually _often_ , more innocent then that, but she had ghosted around the idea briefly. The idea of them getting married and having babies in the future wasn’t an unheard-of idea.

 

She hadn’t realized she had crumpled the paper in her hand until Mr. Brotch reached forward and pat her knee. “Have you both had your parents talk to you about this yet?” Dinah closed her eyes, embarrassed, and she heard Butch bark a laugh.

 

“We’re fifteen, man.” Butch ran a hand through his hair, Dinah noticed the curl on his forehead and tried to keep her anger evident. “Of course, they have.”

 

Dinah briefly remembered something from Butch’s dad’s funeral about six months ago, her father had sat her down to have a few talks with her. She had the sex talk when she was thirteen. But the death talk, that one he took his time with. She didn’t really need it, she didn’t have a mother so she _knew_ , but it helped her understand why Butch went through a destructive stage.

 

Butch’s dad had probably openly had sex with his mother. They had two bedrooms and he had been an alcoholic who was abusive. Privacy wasn’t sacred to them. With all the cuts and bruises Butch always had had, with all the flinching when his dad was around it was all very evident. Dinah was more upset that no one had stepped in to help Butch’s poor mother.

 

Mr. Brotch leaned back, his eyes turning cold. “It’s not appropriate Mr. Deloria. I know you are still dealing with your grief,” Butch shot him a dark look, “but you don’t need to treat poor Dinah like this. She is a part of our vault family and you won’t be able to have a good future if you alienate everyone in it. Susie Mack already thinks poorly of you too. Amata, the Overseers _daughter_ and your possible future Overseer, thinks lowly of you. You don’t need to target your one decent relationship out of that little gang of yours.” Mr. Brotch cleared his throat at the end letting it sink in.

 

Butch was glaring at his feet that were spread out before him, ignoring their teacher. Dinah knew the talk wouldn’t do any good. He was _fifteen_. He was still emotionally a mess and took it out in bad ways. He would pick a fight with anyone and she didn’t want it to be her.

 

“Thank you,” she turned to Mr. Brotch and nodded her head in thanks. “For not reading it out loud.” She still had the note in her hand, crumpled but whole. She folded it and placed it on her lap as she looked at her pipboy. “May I go to lunch?” She looked up, it had been thirty minutes and she was desperate to get out of the room.

 

Butch and Mr. Brotch still were glaring at one another and she had to sit patiently for a moment before she grabbed her bag and pulled it closer. Mr. Brotch finally sat back in his chair, deflated, and waved his hands. “Be careful, both of you. Don’t ruin your future before you have one. I will be talking to both parents at our next meeting about this.” Standing he pushed his chair back and left the room.

 

Dinah sat at her desk a moment longer, the note still in her lap, trying to think of what to say.

 

The silence and tension in the room was thick.

 

Butch made a move first, pulling his feet back loudly, and stood. He never had a bag with him, his book left on the desk, so he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Look,“ he started before stopping. Running a hand through his hair, she wondered where he got the gel, he looking at the clock on the far wall.

 

Dinah sighed, realizing she was going to be the mature one. Putting the note in her pocket, unsure why she actually was keeping it, she stood and pushed her bag back under her desk. “Butch, you need to be careful. Mr. Brotch administers that G.O.A.T next year and he can easily change your answers. The Overseer too.” She tucked a hair behind her ear and eyed his wrist that still had her hair tie on it. “Don’t end up like your dad,” she said quietly.

 

She was a fool to not notice his looks, she just had always assumed it was because he liked picking on her, but she had a few doubts now. All the other girls were more attractive then her, overall. Susie had a beautiful face, full and clean and happy, with a nice behind. Amata had, not the pretty face, but the pretty body. Christine had a laugh that gave even Dinah butterflies, and was gifted in her chest. Then there was Dinah who was flat chested, flat bottom and with a plain face and pale hair. Butch wasn’t interested in _her,_ he was just being mean.

 

“Don’t tell the others.” He put it out there easily and Dinah envied his confidence that she would actually do that. He did look, thankful, a little embarrassed and it helped her nod her head agreeing.

 

“I have no one to tell, other then my dad when Mr. Brotch talks to him about it.” She was pulling her braid out, her hair loose over her shoulder. “Can I have my tie back?”

 

He watched her run her hands through her hair as she fidgeted and he pulled the tie off his wrist. As he handed it back with one hand the other reached out and touched the side of her head, where her hair wasn’t tucked in, and moved it behind her ear. “I love your hair,” he said as if it wasn’t a big deal.

 

She felt a flush on her face and hated that even after that awful note she had _feelings_ when he did these things. He was awful, rude and stupid. He was mean to all her friends and picked on her in public. Yet, then he did one tiny thing and she forgot about it and wanted him to keep doing those small things.

 

He put his hand back in his pocket, a small smile on his face that didn’t quite match the usual smirk he had when he picked on her and turned away. “Let’s get food, yeah?”

 

“Y-yeah,” she pulled her hair up, trying to get it in the bun and strands falling out around her face as she nervously did it. She kept a step or two behind him as she worked, the hair tie in her mouth as she cursed and redid her hair. When he looked over his shoulder at her he stopped and watched. She stopped too, not trusting him to not trip her, and twisted her hair around to move into the bun. Wrapping the band around to secure it she pat at her hair and looked at him with a confused expression. “Is my hair good?”

 

He nodded at her, but then did the unexpected. He stepped up to her, put a hand on her face and kissed her.

 

It wasn’t what she imagined a first kiss to be like. There wasn’t a buildup, or maybe there was and she didn’t realize, that made her know it was coming. There were no romantic confessions beforehand, no date and asking to walk her to her room. It was just after class on the way to lunch. Two confused and lonely fifteen-year-olds.

 

He didn’t seem to know what to do, she didn’t either, and she suspected it was his first as well. After a moment of his lips just pressing to hers he started to move sloppily over her own, she felt her face get warm and wet as his lips moved, and he was missing her lips with how wide he opened his mouth. It was messy and embarrassing and she was enjoying it.

 

Her hand slowly rose to touch his chest and as she did he made a noise that echoed in the hall, and she remembered that it was _after class and they had just gotten reprimanded for a note he had passed to her that was sexually explicit._ Pushing against him she couldn’t get to him budge so she took a step back out of his reach. His mouth was still open, his eyes a little glassy, and his hand was in the air after her as if to catch her. Rubbing at her mouth she glared at him as she collected her thoughts and breath. Butch leaned back, having bent over to kiss her, and stuffed his hand in his pocket. He looked cocky.

 

“Your hair looks good,” he told her with a laugh. She suspected that he had messed it up and she reached up to feel that indeed half of it was now out of the bun. Taking it out she left it down and stormed past him.

 

She could hear his thicker boots on the floor moving much slower then her as she rushed down the hall, her face a furious red. She could hear him chuckle to himself as she rounded a corner and had to stop herself from sprinting away from him. She needed to shot a gun or punch a bag. She would try to head to the gym that afternoon and let out her confusion and anger. If it was too full she was going to dig out the BB gun and shot as many cans as she could find, she had been saving some. She didn’t know how to handle all the emotions trying to come out right now.

 

As she finally reached the cafeteria she looked over her shoulder and didn’t see Butch, meaning she lost him. Running a hand through her hair she put it in a loose ponytail, knowing the Overseer was close to just cutting her hair himself if he saw it down again.

 

Walking into the room she scanned it for Jonas or her Dad, a neutral table even, but found it crowded as it was sandwich day. The younger kids were all crowded around a table, their class half the size of Dinah’s, yelling excitedly at one who had finally turned old enough to get a pipboy, and Dinah had to walk around to avoid colliding with anyone. When she turned back towards the main doors she saw Butch stroll in and walk straight to the corner were his boys sat, waiting for him with wide eyes. She wondered if he would say anything. Maybe he would, but even Butch had secrets.

 

Maybe this would be one of them?

 

She watched, moving to the line waiting on the Mr. Handy named Andy, as Butch sat down and talked to his boys. None of them looked up at her, as she feared they would, and she wondered if he was telling them about the note. He didn’t want her to talk about it but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t twist the story and tell everyone about it. She was too mortified to say anything to anyone.

 

As food was put on her tray she felt a hand on her back, as she was still watching the boys to see what they were doing, she jumped as Amata’s gentle voice spoke to her. “Can we talk?” Amata looked nervous, fidgeting and pulling at the sleeves of her vault suit. Dinah swallowed the lump in her throat, thankful and fearful, and nodded her head.

 

Taking her tray and waving at the Mr. Handy, she followed Amata and sat down at the small table Amata had led her to. No one else sat with her, possibly because of dislike and possibly because she asked them to leave, and Dinah took the seat directly across from Amata’s.

 

Both girls looked nervous before finally Dinah took the plunge. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly, looking up with her head turned down like a child. She was watching Amata’s face instantly relax and for the briefest of moments she resented that it was her who had to apologize first.

 

“Me too,” Amata put both hands on the table, they had been clenched in her lap, and reached towards Dinah’s. Letting her rest them on her own she smiled brightly back at her, once again, best friend. “I get so sensitive about my family issues and,” she bit her lip, “I forget that it won’t go away just because you are my friend. It’s my life and I _am_ better off then most.” She looked around the room, Dinah didn’t fully know why, and looked back to Dinah with a lowered voice and head. “I can’t lose my best friend over something so trivial.” She squeezed Dinah’s hand and for a moment, just the briefest moment, Dinah considered pulling hers away. It wasn’t trivial to her, she didn’t feel like it was nothing.

 

But, as long as Amata realized she was better off then the rest then Dinah could move forward and be friends. “I’m sorry I was so upset, I just didn’t know what to get you and your dad got you the book I wanted to get you.” She looked over at the Overseer, Amata’s father, and saw that he was watching them intently. Swallowing nervously, she quickly looked away when he tilted his head at her, Dinah continued. “I know he’s prepping you for when you become Overseer,” Amata raised her hand and cut her off.

 

“If.”

 

Amata liked to pretend like it wasn’t definite. Everyone knew that wasn’t true except for her apparently.

 

“Yes, if.” Dinah smiled at her, taking her sandwich and making a small bite into it.

 

“So,” Amata looked over to the table where the Tunnel Snakes currently were talking loudly and animatedly with their hands. Butch was telling a story but, thankful, Dinah didn’t think it had anything to do with her or they would be watching. “Can I ask?”

 

“Butch had a crude drawing on it. Mr. Brotch wanted to get on to him and just threw me in with him.” Dinah lied easily, hating that it didn’t make her feel too bad. “It was a goat being hit with a bat. Really messy and gross looking but it said Mr. Brotch on it.” She wondered if he would be talking to the Overseer about the note and hoped that since it didn’t involve Amata he wouldn’t.

 

“That isn’t right. Butch is just such a troublemaker.” Amata already sounded like her dad sometimes and Dinah wondered if that was good or not. Butch was a troublemaker yes, there was no denying that, but he was troubled right now and Dinah knew he just had no constructive outlet. So, his gang would flourish under his leadership. It _would_ be a problem as they got older, she knew.

 

“I agree,” she took another small bite. She still didn’t have a huge appetite but she was old enough now to know that she needed to eat regularly. She thanked the Mr. Handy as he filled the cups at their table with Nuka Cola and she glanced around the room again. “Have you seen my dad or Jonas?”

 

“Oh, my dad gave them a project. You know how messy all our medical histories are? Well I assume you do your dad is the doctor,” Amata chuckled, “He wants them to try to clean them up and figure it out. Don’t want inbreeding and the like.” She smiled to herself and ran a hand in her hair like it wasn’t a serious concern. “He’s been talking a lot about how we need to be careful with our future generations.” Shrugging Amata looked up and smiled when he dad passed the table. “Bye daddy,” she waved and he smiled, almost fondly, back at her and tipped his head at Dinah.

 

Seeing Amata play with her hair instantly caused Dinah’s face to flush and her eyes to drift towards the table with Butch. He was watching them, that smirk on his face, leaning back at his table as Wally and Paul talked about something with excited looks on their faces.

 

“Sounds exciting,” she mused and quickly drug her eyes away from them to watch Amata who was fidgeting with her pipboy.

 

Amata looked back up at her with a big smile. “Want to do something,” she leaned forward, her hand covering her screen, “kinda illegal?” She looked scandalized and Dinah wondered what was on her mind.

 

“What?”

 

“Well,” she turned her screen off and leaned over more, covering the side of her mouth as if anyone could read it. “There is going to be a party this Sunday night in one of the old rooms that we don’t use anymore. Freddy grabbed the keys from his dad’s office and opened it up for Susie, because you know he likes her, and she told me about it today. Could be fun?”

 

“That doesn’t sound like something either of us would like,” and it also sounded fishy. Susie hated them both, why would she do anything involving them and fun? “Are you sure we can trust them?”

 

“Well, when you picked a fight on my birthday Susie talked to me after.” She looked sheepish and Dinah felt a flush of anger at being accused. “Me and her aren’t friends but, we don’t hate each other anymore. I think we have an understanding.”

 

“Oh,” Dinah looked at her sandwich and contemplated eating the half that was left. “Well, if you trust her I trust you.” She smiled at Amata, at least glad she had her friend.

 

“Yay!” Amata clapped her hands together and stood quickly. “I’ll tell her you’re in.” She rushed away and Dinah felt her eyes drift back over to Butch’s table. He had leaned forward, and while looking directly at her, was talking to the boys. She wondered what he was saying because the boys were watching Amata, not her, as Butch talked and they had serious looks. Paul would have told them about it, there was no doubt in her mind.

 

What would they _do_? She wondered at that and flushed as Butch winked at her.

 

* * *

  
 

Three nights later, Sunday night, Amata was helping Dinah pick out an outfit for the party. They didn’t have many outfits aside from their suits; a dressmaker hadn’t been active for many years and they were hoping for Susie to take that job in the coming years.

 

Dinah had a pretty white dress, vintage, that she usually wore for Founders Day, that was starting to get a little tight on her but that only made Amata push for it more. They would be sneaking out that night, though lately her father was working later and later into the night at the clinic and on weekends she didn’t see him except at breakfast, so it was really Amata sneaking out. Amata had plenty to choose from, as she now fit into most of her mothers old clothing that hadn’t gone back to circulation.

 

Dinah wished she had something of her mothers.

 

“Do you want to borrow some jewelry?” Amata also had all of her mother’s old necklaces and earrings.

 

“No, but maybe some lipstick?”

 

“Yes! You’ll look like one of those Atom Bomb girls.” Amata pulled the tube from her bag she had with her, full of makeup. She was already planning everything in her head and Dinah just sat back and let her. Dinah had her G.O.A.T book open in her lap, she was sitting on her bed, in old jeans and a plane white shirt. Her weekend clothes.

 

“Cool. When do we met? In another few hours? Curfew kicks in in about thirty minutes, you may want to dash out.”

 

“They don’t enforce that rule.” Amata shrugged and Dinah was once again hit with how much Amata got away with. Being her friend did have benefits as she got away with it too if they knew Amata was involved somehow.

 

“Still, don’t want them on the lookout all night. I’ll meet you at the old apartment hall by the reactor.”

 

“Oh,” Amata puffed up excited, “I can’t wait! Ok, be careful,” she whispered as if the officers could hear her through the walls.

 

Dinah walked her to the door and waved goodnight, then looked around the hall to see if maybe her dad or Jonas would be near.

 

Shutting the door, she locked it after knowing her dad had his key and rushed to her room. Her bare feet scrunched up in the small rug she had under her bed, the white tread now a soft yellow from age, and held the dress up to herself. It looked nice in the mirror but once she put it on she knew it would sag in some areas and bunch in others.

 

Kicking off her pants she hung the dress on the hook behind her door and folded them, followed by her shirt. Taking a moment to actually assess herself in the mirror, critically. She poked at the side of her bra where it was hollow and pulled her underwear up on her hips that didn’t seem proportionate to the rest of her. In all their books the female body seemed so perfectly proportioned. The men too for that matter.

 

And just like that her thoughts shifted to Butch again.

 

Maybe she _did_ like him? She had been debating it for the last few days, she even had a pros and cons list written on the back of that stupid note he gave her. She wasn’t about to go give it up for him but, when he wasn’t surrounded by his lackeys, she enjoyed being near him. He opened up and talked and seemed genuine. She wondered what it would have been like if he had never talked to her the year before on her birthday. Would he still pick on her? Push her and hurt her?

 

When his dad died he searched her out and shot with her in, what she not thought of as, _their_ shooting range. He had cried, not pretty, and told her he hated the man. _He was a useless piece of shit_ and _he didn’t love anything but his drinks._

 

It was understood that she didn’t tell anyone about it.

 

She turned fifteen shortly after that, he did as well, and while they were not friends he treated her in a vastly different manner.

 

She liked it.

 

Walking away from the mirror she grabbed her hair brush and started working on her hair, she would defiantly wear it down because he _liked it_ like that. It was long and thick and most of the girls in the vault had thin short hair. Her dad said something about genetics when she asked and she wondered why both of them had been gifted with thick hair.

 

When she was done she went back to the dress and slowly put it on, she had to hold her breath to pull the zipper up under her arm and stood before the mirror. It wasn’t ugly. She assessed herself as she applied the lipstick.

 

The collar of the dress went down to right above her collarbone, it poked out a little, and the bottom fold stopped just above her knees. The straps rested right below her shoulders, so when she moved the collar rubbed her neck and made her feel like it was chocking her lightly. It flared out from her hips to her knees, and a layer of bunched material helped make it puff, while also making her legs itch. She wanted to wear jeans instead.

 

Finding some shoes that weren’t boots, simple silver shoes with a one inch heal and straps, she quickly put them on and considered her hair again. She didn’t want to get too fancy, who knew how everyone else would dress, but she didn’t want to look underdressed as well. Grabbing a few bobby pens she stuck them in her mouth and started the long process of penning up part of her hair. She only did half, wanting to keep some of it down as the unused rooms were cold, and put the rest up in a side sweep that turned into a small bun at the back of her head.

 

Grabbing her pipboy off of the bed she checked the time and noticed the message from Amata.

 

_Let’s go! Meet me there in ten._

 

Sent just a moment before so she knew she needed to leave. Amata was closer to the location so she needed less time to travel, but with how she was sneaking around and out of regulated uniform Dinah needed to take her time and be careful.

 

Removing her shoes, she decided to put them on at the location as they would click on the floors and make noise. She scanned her room for anything else she needed. Doing one last look at herself in the mirror she put her pip boy by her pillow and turned off her lights and shut her door. Grabbing her key card from the hook by the door she insured all other lights were out and doors secured. She didn’t need her dad thinking something was going on if he came home early. Taking a deep breath, as she didn’t break rules often, she opened the door and looked around the corner.

 

Their home was at the end of a hallway, the public bathrooms around the corner and the stairs to the Atrium across from that. She would need to go down the hallway, pass by Butch’s home, get past the cafeteria and head to the lower levels near the reactor. The old apartments they were going to get into used to be the homes of utility workers back when they had a population to support that.

 

Chewing her lip, she quickly left her home, her heels hanging from her hands, as she rushed around the corner and tucked into the bathroom. Listening to both the bathroom and the hallway she made a dash towards Butch’s corner when she didn’t hear anyone. As she tucked in next to his door she licked her lips, adrenaline rushing as she broke rules. She didn’t do it often and to be doing something this extreme was a rush.

 

A low whistle sounded behind her and a “Well, well,” followed. Turning her head sharply, some hair falling from the bobby pins, she found the Tunnel Snakes against the end of the hallway. Butch was furthest back, his arms crossed and he was leaning on the wall. Freddy was nearest her, she suspected he was the one who whistled. Wally and Paul stood against the other walls. They were all smoking. She was surprised security hadn’t already broken them up, it made her wonder how long they had been here. Not long, she assumed.

 

“Boys,” she nodded her head, taking a step towards them, trying not to look scared. Running a hand along her skirt she jumped when Freddy reached out and touched her dress strap on her shoulder.

 

“Very pretty Runt,” he said, looking back at the boys as if he was wanting their approval. Wally and Paul nodded, dirty looks on their faces, but Butch just looked bored. She realized now that they were all in jeans and white shirts. Butch, though, had on a black leather jacket she hadn’t seen before.

 

“New jacket?” She turned her head to look down the hall behind them and make sure they were alone and heard a laugh that drew her attention back.

 

“She only has eyes for me boys,” Butch laughed as he pushed off of the wall. “Let’s go, don’t want to be too late.” He gestured with his hands to move and the boys all slunk down the hallway ahead of her and Butch. He approached her, dropping his cigarette in the trash by his front door. “You got all classed up?” He walked past her, his hands in his pockets, not looking back. Shutting her eyes briefly, angry that she ran into the one group that would draw the most attention, and rushed up to him, her shoes hitting her dress as she held it up.

 

“I didn’t know you guys were going.”

 

Butch tossed his head back with a laugh. “Who got the keys?”

 

“That makes sense,” she muttered angrily. While she was excited he would be there she also didn’t trust him either. “You guys aren’t afraid of being caught?”

 

“We made a huge mess in the Atrium earlier this morning. Most of the security is up there still cleaning and sucking up to the Overseer.”

 

“Oh,” Dinah hadn’t heard about that but she hadn’t left her room much today. Amata would have said something though, wouldn’t she?

 

Butch didn’t say anything but as they came up to the cafeteria she heard the other boys talking. Butch stopped with them and Dinah considered doing the same. She didn’t really want to hang out with the Snakes but if they got caught she knew they would be blamed and she could probably flee. Though she was dressed up, after hours, obviously breaking curfew. Biting her lip, and fearing she got lipstick on her teeth, she kept going around the corner to the stairs. “Hey!” She jumped and hugged the wall for a moment before realizing that it was Butch who called after her.

 

“What?” She hissed back, quietly. He was not trying to be quiet. He made a face at the other boys and walked over to her, taking two steps down the stairs to be level with her.

 

“You should wait just a minute before going.”

 

“Why?” She furrowed her eyebrows together confused. “I’m meeting Amata at the reactor soon.”

 

Butch ran a hand through his hair and looked, briefly, conflicted before it turned to irritation. “Nevermind, uh see you there.”

 

Dinah felt a mixture of confusion and intrigue rush through her. Behind him Wally and Paul looked confused too but Freddy had a wide smile on his face and was watching her. Turning her head, while maintaining eye contact she reached up and put her stray hair behind her ear. “Ok,” she muttered as she took the last few steps and turned the corner to more steps.

 

She moved much slower now, constantly looking over her shoulder and wondering what they were doing and why Butch had said that. She was pulling at the bottom of the dress as she approached the reactor. Usually there was someone patrolling over here so she was being very careful. Her shooting range was just before, so she popped in for a moment to collect herself.

 

Ok, obviously she liked Butch. Was she stupid? Was it bad? He was acting very differently. There were still the contents of that note, that were a little alarming. She was only fifteen and she was defiantly not ready for _that_ kind of relationship. Maybe he was actually joking?

 

Closing her eyes, she couldn’t help but remember the kiss. Yes, it was sloppy and poorly done but it still made her have _feelings._

 

Rubbing her nose, she pushed besides the wall as she heard feet shuffle past. Either it was a patrol or the boys, or even maybe Amata but she wouldn’t be that loud. Taking a moment to see if she could hear anything else she poked her head out and saw Wally gesturing at Paul. The two then hoisted Freddy up and she watched as he pulled the grate off of the wall and climbed inside. Butch then hoisted up and handed a large bundle, where did they hide it?, and put the grate back on the wall. The three boys high-five and she could hear Freddy asking something, _give me the signal,_ and the others saying yes.

 

A prank. Or something close to that. Dinah turned her head the opposite direction to make sure they were all still alone in the hallway before she went back into the room and closed the door. She winced at the loud click it made but hoped they wouldn’t know it was her. Moving away from the door she leaned against the railing and tried to rotate her shoulders.

 

She should warn the others, right? Usually the Tunnel Snakes picked on everyone as a whole so they may do that here. That may be why it was so easy for Freddy to turn over the keys and for Susie to spread the word.

 

She nearly fell over the rail when the door opened and Butch walked in.

 

She felt her face heat up as he stepped into her space, his knees hitting her dress. He had his thumb against his lips, biting it nervously it looked like.

 

“W-what’s going on?” Dinah finally asked after he stood there awkwardly for a moment, not saying anything.

 

“You see us?” He wasn’t looking at her face, her dress actually. Then her hair. His head was tilted to the side as he looked at it, a frown on his face. When his eyes flicked to her face she flushed more. His cocky smile made itself present then. “Yeah, you did.” Kicking his left foot against the floor, his boot making a soft sound, he sniffed. “It’s not a bad thing, what we’re doing. Trying to do something _nice_ for everyone.”

 

She didn’t believe that for a second.

 

”But, we can’t have you saying anything to them when you get there,” he ran a hand through his hair before leaning forward, putting his free hand against the railing next to hers and using his other to keep her balanced by resting on her side.

 

“I,” she swallowed, he was really close, “I won’t.”

 

“Why should I believe that?”

 

“I’ve kept your secrets so far,” she tilted her chin up to look him in the eye, her face serious as her flush cleared. He was here to bully her and she wouldn’t have it.

 

“You have,” his voice dropped. It always did when they talked about this sort of thing. She kept his secret about his dad, about his mom and about herself. She had ten different ways she could get him in trouble but it was he himself that did it. His eyes glanced at her lips briefly and she had only a moment warning before he leaned in again, his hand from her hip moving to the back of her head, and he kissed her.

 

This one wasn’t as sloppy, it was slower and she didn’t feel as messy from it. Her hands didn’t know what to do so they continued to grip the railing, her arms shaking. He pulled back, his hand still in her hair holding her closer, and rested his forehead against hers. “You’re sweet on me, aren’t you runt?”

 

He hadn’t called her that in a few months and for some reason instead of getting angry it made her stomach flip. She bit her lip again, making a decision, and leaned forward kissing him this time.

 

She knew he was distracting her. She knew he was probably using her. She couldn’t stop herself though.

 

She was fifteen and hormonal and she was getting attention from a boy who was cute.

 

When they separated she noticed red around the corner of his mouth and smiled, her teeth showing from the force of it and her cheeks hurting. “What?”

 

“My lipstick,” she gestured to his mouth, “I’m sorry, it’s on your face.” She pushed forward from the rail, he didn’t move back so she moved around him to go down the stairs. “I have some stuff in my bag I keep here, hang on.” She rounded the bottom and knew he was watching her and she bend down to rummage through her bag. Her arms moving made her dress bunch around her neck and she had to lean back so it didn’t make it hard to breath. She probably looked silly.

 

Pulling out an alcohol swab and a clean cloth, she needed to get more, she went back up the stairs. Her bare feet slapped against the stone, her shoes on the ground by Butch, as she took the final step. He took the cloth from her and blindly wiped at his mouth, so she took it back to help.

 

It was so domestic and sweet and she forgot for a moment that he was the leader of the Tunnel Snakes and would publicly humiliate her when given the chance.

 

Though he hadn’t done it recently.

 

“What are you boys going to do?” She finally asked as she leaned back to see that his face was clean. He took the cloth from her and put it to her face next, working on removing the lipstick.

 

“Don’t worry about it, its nothing too bad.” He smiled at his work and tossed the cloth over the rail, it landed near her bag. “You look better without it. More like you,” he shrugged his shoulders, his jacket catching her eye again.

 

“So, why a jacket?”

 

“It looks cool right? I’m the leader, need to look it.”

 

“It sets you apart that’s for sure.” She agreed. Picking up her shoes she turned back to him. “I won’t say anything if you promise it won’t hurt anyone.”

 

“It won’t.”

 

She eyed him a moment and then sighed, her shoulders sagging. “Why do you keep kissing me?”

 

He shrugged. Her eyes flashed at him in warning. “Why did _you_ kiss _me?_ ” He leaned forward, a smirk on his face.

 

Leaning back, irritated that he was picking on her again, she responded with, “because you kissed me.”

 

He leaned back and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. Lighting one he blew the smoke into her face before leaning back into the railing. “Don’t stand next to Amata when you hear Wally dump the punch.”

 

“What? She’s my friend Butch, I’ll warn her that you are planning this.” She felt anger flare. He just said it wouldn’t hurt anyone.

 

“It won’t hurt her so put that look away.” He blew smoke at her again and she swatted her hand in front of her face. “It’s not targeted at her so relax.”

 

“You just said-“

 

“To not stand _next to her._ ” He took another drag but blew this one away from her. She noticed, sadly, that he was actually smoking them now.

 

“Can I go now?” She asked, as she reached for the handle on the door. Butch just nodded, blowing smoke at her again with that side smirk of his. She opened the door and looked outside, then bolted.

 

Amata met her at the reactor and looked worried.

 

“I’ve been waiting! What took you?”

 

“Ran into security and had to hide.”

 

“Who? Most of them are up at the atrium,” Amata looked into the reactors control room and slipped inside, Dinah following. “Never mind, I think I saw one missing.”

 

“What happened in the atrium?” Dinah asked, knowing full well what happened.

 

“Guess who trashed it? The Tunnel Snakes I’m sure. They are trying to figure out how to catch them now.” They approached a door that Amata tapped against three times. It opened slowly, Dinah could notice the floor looked darker on the other side and the door itself moved slower then the usual as it swung open.

 

Susie stood on the other side, a wide smile on her face. “Welcome!”

 

* * *

 

 

The night was slow, Dinah kept watching the door wondering when the Tunnel Snakes would arrive, and it was weird having Susie be so nice.

 

Amata and Susie were talking about dresses when Dinah finally wondered away as she noticed Wally and Paul by the punch bowl. She filled her cup; the bowl was actually just a long tray that they served food in from the cafeteria. She eyed the boys, not trusting them.

 

“How are you?” She asked Paul knowing Wally wouldn’t tell her anything. The two boys jumped slightly and ducked their heads guiltily.

 

“Just drinkin’ punch.” Wally supplied when Paul kept quiet.

 

“How’d you get the keys Paul?”

 

The room was big, it was an old common room from the looks of it, with old couches on the walls and a long table covered in dust and cups. The lights flickered with effort when they turned them on, even being so close to the reactor didn’t help that it was in disuse. “Swiped them from my dad,” Paul said as he drank from his cup.

 

“And what are you planning to do tonight?”

 

“Uh, same as you. Drink punch and talk in a room we shouldn’t be in?” Paul laughed at Wally’s joke and Dinah felt a small smile pull at her lips. The boys were antsy and if she distracted them maybe they wouldn’t do anything to Amata.

 

“So, Paul, how are things with Susie?”

 

He turned a bright red and Dinah and Wally both waited for him to respond. “No-I mean, we get along okay.”

 

Wally, Susie’s brother, crossed his arms. “Yeah I noticed,” he looked serious and Dinah felt her eyes drift over, same as both boys’, to Amata and Susie.

 

“She’s cute, isn’t she?” Dinah said.

 

“Uh, well she is,” Paul swallowed and looked at Wally. “She’s not ugly.”

 

“Right,” Dinah put her cup down and leaned in. “Word is she likes you.”

 

“What?” Both boys said this, Wally in anger and Paul excitedly. “Says who?” Wally asked while Paul got a goofy grin.

 

“Everyone.” Dinah rolled her eyes as Wally pushed Paul. “Don’t fight. He isn’t actually dating her or anything.” She watched Paul rubbed his sore chest.

 

Just then the door opened loudly and the whole group ducked down, as they turned to see who arrived.

 

Floyd Lewis stepped inside, a box of tools hanging from one hand and a Nuka Cola in the other. His face was startled before turning dark.

 

He was the current Engineer and he had probably noticed a power fluctuation from them turning on the lights and decided to investigate.

 

“Get out now before I call the Overseer. You have five minutes to clean up and get out. This isn’t safe-“He was cut off as Wally and Paul, who had snuck past her while she cowered, tackled him to the ground. The girls all ran past, the punch tipping over. Dinah wondered how much trouble they would be in and what exactly the boys planned on doing. There was no getting out of this, Floyd would most defiantly tell on them especially since they tackled him.

 

It was silly how scared they were and Dinah joined the others who laughed as they ran.

 

She couldn’t help but wonder what the prank would have been and if anyone would help Freddy get out of the vents.

 


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting to speed along, plot takes time! :) Gets a bit more physical and starting next chapter it earns its rating.

It was the day of their G.O.A.T testing and Dinah was busy chewing on her pen cap as she scanned her booklet in the hallway by the cafeteria.

 

They only had to do the test today then they had the next few weeks off to wait on results and assignments. A few would keep doing class’ but the rest would go instantly into their new professions.

 

She had told her father a few months prior that she didn’t want to get placed in the medical field but in the science so she could try botany. She wanted to help improve the air quality, the food quality. She wanted to work with life, but not human life. He had been graceful about it.

 

She had been grounded for two months after the party last year. She was walked to and from class by either her father or Jonas, along with most of the other kids. They were lucky, she supposed, that nothing bad had happened. The Overseer had sat all of them down and lectured for a long time on the importance of following his rules for their own safety.

 

_I know what is good for you, and you need to listen to me._

_There is a reason we don’t use those rooms anymore._

_You all need to think about your futures._

There had been more but she only seemed to remembered those key things. Their parents had always stressed these things to them, though Dinah’s less than others, and it was starting to set in with some. Christine Kendall had even had her mother attend class for a few days. Susie and Wally hadn’t been to class for a week, their dad not letting them leave their home. Butch had continued on as normal, his mother not really invested in disciplining her son.

 

Amata had told Dinah about her nightly meetings with her dad, that they still did a year later, and about how she is the face of the vault and how she needs to be more serious.

 

It was kind of creepy and Amata, thankfully, was aware of that.

 

The two girls had made up after the party officially. Amata had apologized for her behavior and Dinah was sorry she was being mean about it. Amata had calmed down, over the last year, and was more rounded and aware of how she came across to the people of the Vault. She had accepted her role and knew that she did not want to be her father, though he couldn’t know about that. They were back to being inseparable, to the annoyance of the Tunnel Snakes, and were helping each other out.

 

Dinah still wondered what the prank would have been. The Tunnel Snakes never did anything about it, and Butch never mentioned it. Not that she asked.

 

It had been weird with him. After those two kisses he started to avoid her. She understood, the second one for sure wasn’t meant to mean anything other than to distract her and the first may have just been to confuse her.

 

She had been so busy with the G.O.A.T. pre-tests and helping her dad in the clinic that she didn’t much notice. It bothered her a little, when she sat-up at night thinking, but she tried not to dwell on it.

 

They still picked on her, but Butch didn’t let up the way he used to. He had, if anything, gotten more aggressive with her. His physical contact with her was rougher, he pushed harder and tugged on her hair with more strength. It seemed that the further they got from the incident last year, the more he seemed to act like it never happened.

 

They all wore jackets now, including Freddy. When she asked if he had finally been admitted a few months ago Wally boldly yelled _not yet_ but he was pretty much in if he had a jacket. It took Butch effort to get them, so he wouldn’t waste his effort.

 

Pushing up against the wall Dinah stood and stretched her arms above her head.

 

She had filled out a little more since last year. Her bra actually served a function now, and her suit had to be traded in for a woman’s, and not a child’s. Her hair, while still long, was loose around her shoulders. Amata had talked her father into offering more freedom with hair and he had agreed for the whole vault to lose some of the regulations. They also now have more casual days, every Sunday not just one a month. She wondered if he would change his mind, again, but for now she enjoyed it.

 

Pulling the sleeves of her suit down to her wrist, they rode up when she stretched, Dinah headed down the hall to check on her dad. It was still a little while before her test so Dinah figured she should make sure he was all set for the day. He had been spending even more time out of their rooms, working on some project the Overseer had given him. Dinah even helped out now and again.

 

They were compiling more detailed medical records on the families of vault 101. She had sat in on the interviews recently to talk with the resident that they were working with that week. They had just finished talking with the Gomez family this last week and Dinah learned that they could trace their family directly back to the vault opening with the same last name. Apparently, they used to live just outside of the capital.

 

As she walked in the clinic she saw Jonas working at the terminal in the room, typing quickly. “Hey, Jonas,” she smiled at the older man and laughed as he pushed up his glasses irritably. “Still putting all the data together?”

 

“Something like that.” He turned off the screen, something she noticed her father and Jonas both doing more often so she wouldn’t see, and she wondered why. “Ready for the test today?”

 

“Not really, I mean we’ve been working for a few years towards this so I have no reason not to be. I just don’t want to, you know, end up in the sewage or something.” She made a face and smiled when Jonas laughed. “Is my dad here?”

 

“He’s meeting with Stanley now, but he’ll be ready to send you off soon.” Jonas stood up and pulled a few paper folders from a cabinet. “I have to work on my own medical background now,” he sighed and sat down heavily. “It’s rougher when you are the last in your family.” He rolled a shoulder and started writing things down.

 

“I bet. Me and dad haven’t even started ours yet,” she remarked quietly thinking about it. “It’s kind of sad. We have no relatives alive here.”

 

“Makes it easier on you when you like a boy though, no relations.” He cocked an eyebrow up at her and she flushed. He was well aware of her crush. “Just don’t go spreading everyone’s medical history though. If you don’t get placed here you will need to be restricted more or the Overseer may come down hard on us.” He winced a little and turned a page in his folder.

 

Her father walked out of the back room after that and waved goodbye to Stanley. “Don’t forget to take the vitamin.” Stanley nodded, rubbing his head, and left. “Well, princess, are you ready? This is one of the biggest days of your life so far. Deciding your future here and all.” He looked disinterested as he spoke, thumbing through the folder he walked out with. Dinah scrunched her face up at him and stood on her toes to look into his eyes. “Sorry, it’s been very busy lately. We need to do flu shots soon Jonas.”

 

“It’s okay dad, I know you are very busy. I’ll help however I can, after the test today I have a few weeks off before reassignment.”

 

“That’s true. You shouldn’t worry though, we have a handle on everything. Maybe we will be getting a new helper this year. That girl, Susie, seems to have a good head on her.”

 

“That’s a joke right?” Dinah laughed. She and Susie still hadn’t patched things up, while friendly they were not friends.

 

“No, she really is. When we did her family history she was more helpful then her whole family.”

 

“Hmm,” Dinah turned away and walked over to the folders and shuffled through them. “So, who’s on the list this week?”

 

“The DeLoria family,” he closed his folder and walked over, taking the one from her hand and putting it back. “You need to focus on your test, not on our work here. I need to get used to you not being around to help anyway.” He smiled at her, “you can help me this last week then you need to embrace your future.”

 

“Ok, thanks dad.” She waved goodbye to them and headed to the door. “Wish me luck,” she tugged at the end of her hair nervously.

 

“You’ll do great honey,” her dad called out after her. Jonas sent her a thumbs-up and smiled.

 

Walking outside the clinic she could hear Butch’s deep voice, “I can show you a tunnel snake, Amata.”

 

A flush crept up her face as she looked down the hall and saw the boys surrounding her friend. A mixture of anger and jealousy rushed over her.

 

“Hey, Amata,” she called out rushing over. Butch stepped back, having been up close to Amata and eyed her. The other boys made varying faces, from alarm to interests, at her approach. “What’s going on here?” She stood by her friend, sending an angry look at the boys. “Shouldn’t you guys be more concerned for the life changing test we are about to take?”

 

Butch scoffed at her, leaning into the wall next to her. “Just having a little fun, runt. No need to rain on our parade.”

 

“Butch, she’s your future Overseer. You sure you want to make these comments?” Amata puffed up next to her, about to say something but Dinah put her hand out to stop her. “Maybe focus on yourself for a bit?” She looked at the other boys. “Maybe think for yourself guys. Don’t just do whatever he says.” Paul and Wally both glared at her, but their eyes shifted to Butch too. She knew that Wally and Butch had been butting heads lately, about being the leader of the group, so she poked at it.

 

“Come on Paul,” Wally said as he left the group to go into the classroom. Paul nodded at Butch and muttered a goodbye as he rushed into the room. They still had a little time so Dinah didn’t move when Butch leaned in angrily.

 

“Think you’re clever?” Dinah turned to him, glaring.

 

“Do you?” Amata laughed next to her.

 

“Leave us alone Butch. We have better things to do,” she nodded her head at Dinah and rounded the corner, Freddy following behind her with a look to Butch.

 

As she pushed away from the wall Butch reached out and caught her arm, pulling her back against the wall. Resting his arm on the wall by her head he leaned in. “What’s better then me?”

 

“Most everything Butch.” She kept an even tone but she felt a flush because of how close he was to her. He smirked, the scar over his lip making her stomach flip, and leaned in so his breath hit her face. She heard the sound of him kicking his foot against the floor, something he did while nervous. “You were _just_ hitting on my friend Butch. You can’t target me right after and it do anything.”

 

“We both know I wouldn’t do anything with _Amata._ ” His hand reached forward and touched her hair. “Though I do _love_ that she got this rule taken down.” He pulled at her hair so her head tilted to the side. Reaching up she grabbed his hand and tugged at it so he let go but then his hand moved around so he held onto her own.

 

“You’ve pretty much avoided me for a few months now Butch,” she huffed as his fingers threaded with hers. “Why the sudden attention? No witnesses?”

 

“That,” he said leaning forward so his lips ghosted her ear. “is part of it. Can’t have the leader of the Tunnel Snakes playing favorites, can we?”

 

“Favorites?!” She was talking quietly and was furious with herself for falling for his ploys.

 

“You know you are,” he mumbled against her cheek. She felt a shiver run along her spine and pushed at him.

 

“Come on, Butch. We need to take that test.” She pulled away, his hand tugging at her for a moment so she had to make effort to get him to let go.

 

Going in, Mr. Brotch was leaning against a projector working on the order of the slides. There was a stack of papers on each desk and a few pencils lined up next to them. Dinah took her usual seat, Butch sitting behind her, and scanned the currently projected image.

 

It had the vault boy on the front with a sign reading: G.O.A.T. testing. The color was faded, an off green that hurt the eyes when you stared for too long.

 

“What do you think you’ll get?” Butch muttered behind her, a moment of normality. He was looking through the booklet, a pencil in his hand playing between his fingers.

 

“I’m aiming for botany.” She told him honestly. “You?”

 

“Don’t really know,” he mumbled as he closed the small booklet of papers. “Doubt what I _want_ is actually an option.”

 

“You never know,” she said turning back so she could look at the board. “There are hundreds of options for us.” She smiled to herself. “We may not get what we want but its guaranteed to be something we will flourish at.”

 

“Unless that fucker doesn’t agree,” he said darkly. He was talking about the Overseer and Dinah couldn’t help the nod she made. “If he doesn’t want us where we score he will drop us into something else. He hates me,” he sighed, “I’ll probably end up in sewage.”

 

“Have faith,” Dinah mumbled. “You once told me that they _needed_ us. He won’t do something spiteful if it screws him over. Sewage is full of staff right now. Same with maintenance.” She looked up when Mr. Brotch cleared his throat.

 

“Let’s begin.”

 

 

Dinah was sitting in the clinic the next day, biting her lip hard.

 

She still remembered Butch throwing over tables on his way out the day before, after he got his immediate results.

 

A hairdresser. She had laughed at the time but then she remembered the thunderous look he shot her as he pushed past her.

 

She had told her father about it, asking if he remembered having a hairdresser when he was younger. Jonas had told her they hadn’t had one since he was a little boy. Butch would probably be stuck in that job for the rest of his life. It made Dinah feel bad for him.

 

All of his hair obsessions made a little sense to her now.

 

She had passed into the sciences field but it wasn’t clear where exactly. She was going to plead her case with the Overseer later that week to try to sway him to let her do the greenhouse. It was a floor lower, not far from the reactor, and hadn’t been used in a few generations. It was overgrown but still open to the public. Mr. Handy, Andy as he liked to be called, cared for it but poorly.

 

Looking up as her father walked in she smiled brightly until she saw Butch and his mother behind him. Butch still looked angry, his hands in his pockets and his posture slouched as he followed his mother. She always looked angry and Dinah recalled that she had been sick a lot this last year. Most of it was caused from drinking too much in the past, and present.

 

Dinah had a clipboard in her lap, the blank page for their history to be filled out. She was sitting in the more comfortable of the two chairs her dad had, Jonas had been given the day off so she had been allowed to take it. Her father offered the bed to Mrs. DeLoria and Butch stood to the side, scowling. She tried to smile at him but he just looked away with a huff. His mother on the other hand raised an eyebrow at their exchange and looked up at her son.

 

“Well, lets start with the basics, shall we? You may start Ellen.”

 

Ellen put a hand to the side of her forehead, her graying brown hair in a loose bun, and started listing off her family for the past few generations. “Do you remember anything about Mr. DeLoria’s side?” Dinah asked when her father filled out his form.

 

“Well,” Ellen tilted her head thinking. As she listed off a few things Dinah’s eyes glided to Butch and she was startled with just how intensely he was watching his mother. Ellen was talking about known issues his father had had, alcoholism which caused liver problems, then some mental defects a few generations before in his great-grandparents. Butch took off his jacket and pipboy and was folding it up, as Ellen finished with their info, and then began to unzip his vault suit.

 

“Ok, time for physicals. Ellen, I have yours from this year but Butch, I will need to,” James was cut off by Butch.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Freddy already warned me.” He was pulling his shirt over his head and Dinah didn’t have the time to look away. She turned her head down sharply as he pulled it off, but she still had an eyeful. Usually her dad let her leave for this part, she hadn’t seen any of the other boys like this, and she felt heat rush over her body.

 

“Dinah, you can talk to Ellen on the other side of the screen,” James said as he watched his daughter get flustered. “Usually we let the women leave first, Butch.” Butch, with a cocky grin, nodded. Dinah tried to maneuver around the screen without looking but failed.

 

Butch had been taking care of himself over the years. The last time she had seen him shirtless they had been thirteen and he had come in for a physical while she was doing homework. One of the last classes to graduate, two years ago, had a student who now maintained the gym and lounge and after the last year he finally had them up and running. Butch obviously was taking advantage of this.

 

Dinah sat in the stool across from Ellen and pulled out the paper she had grabbed. When she looked up she could see the outline of her father and Butch on the other side and she fought a blush. “Mrs. DeLoria, can you tell me about the heart condition from your mother’s side?” Ellen was looking at her oddly, a small smile on her face.

 

“My Butchie likes you,” she said after a moment. “Be good to him okay? He’s still just a boy.” Dinah felt her face flush further.

 

“B-butchie?”

 

“That’s what I’ve always called him,” Ellen seemed so small and frail as she sat across from Dinah on the small bed. “He’s a _good_ boy. Takes care of me. I can’t do it myself,” she seemed so sad and Dinah felt a wave of sympathy for the woman. She was just a product of her environment. She was a cleaner, at one time she had been in the reactor but they could no longer trust her to not drink when she worked there. So, the Overseer decided instead of helping her he would enable her by moving her to a job that didn’t need her total focus.

 

“That’s, uh, that’s good of him.” Dinah kept her voice low, knowing that while her father was talking to Butch they could still hear her if they tried. “I need your history ma’am.” She listened as Ellen listed off the stroke from her mother’s side and then the heart attacks as well. Butch was in for it if he didn’t take care of himself.

 

As she pieced together the DeLoria history she realized that Mr. DeLoria may have actually died from something genetic. Alcoholism ran rampant in this family and Butch would need to be careful to not follow. Thankfully so far, he showed no interest in drinking, at least publicly, but he was still young and could easily fall into it.

 

“Thank you, ma’am. We will meet tomorrow to do more. For now, you can head home. Butch should be done soon; my dad is pretty efficient.” Dinah stood with Ellen and followed her to the door watching her walk away. She was probably going to drink, after having to talk about her family and history. The bathrooms wouldn’t be clean for a while yet and the kids would be doing them soon.

 

Thinking of that she would need to go to the volunteer office to get her weekend assignment. All the kids had to do one group chore over their break, a major and a weekly minor one. Last year they had to clear out the atrium storage and atrium itself, her small project had been painting the stairwell and columns.

 

As she turned back she watched her dad walk away from the corner with a serious face. “Dad?” She asked as he approached her.

 

“Maybe you should talk to him? He is shutting me down when I ask questions. I knew he would be tough. I told him to put his shirt back on so give him just a moment. I have his vitals and blood so just patch him up and ask about his mental state. See if he will tell you how he’s been since his dad passed?” James took her paper and walked to the office, she heard his door slide shut and prepared herself. He would be putting the info into a terminal post to send to the overseer and she wondered just how much was actually kept from the Overseer.

 

Counting to twenty, enough time for Butch to find his pants and shirt, Dinah knocked on the corner of the screen before walking around it. “Butch?”

 

A non-committal grunt sounded and when she looked up at him she watched his shirt fall down to his waistline where he tucked it into his suit. She was bright red and hated the way he looked at her, knowing why she was flustered. “Like what you see runt?”

 

“Keep it professional please?” She muttered as she sat in the chair and pulled it over to the bed where he sat. “Can I see your arm? Did he put a swab down?” She looked at his arm, her hands resting on his forearm and wrist. Butch had a piece of tape over a cotton swab on the junction of his arm where her father had taken his blood sample. “When’s the last time you gave a sample?”

 

With a sigh Butch leaned against the wall by the bed. “Last year, same time.” She noticed he left his suit unzipped to the waist.

 

“But your last physical was,” she waited for him to supply the time.

 

“Same time last year,” he replied. When she looked up she noticed his eyes were closed and she also still had her hands on his arm. Taking them away she put them in her lap.

 

“What results did you get last year?”

 

“Healthy, young, male. Also, to cut back on the salt apparently.”

 

“Did you?” She knew he hadn’t.

 

“No, food taste like shit without it.”

 

“You realize he told you to cut back for a reason,” Dinah said looking back at him. He was watching her, closer then she was comfortable with, so she moved the chair back a little making it look like she needed to stretch her legs. “You need to be careful. If you want to live a long life,” he cut her off with a laugh.

 

“I have lots of genetic issues Dinah. I know my life won’t be the longest. I’ve already got that damned anemia bullshit. Can’t I enjoy the time I have?”

 

“Speaking of that,” she interrupted. “You shouldn’t be smoking,” she gestured to the pack he already had pulled out of his pocket. Reaching forward she took the pack from him, planning on throwing it away.

 

“You know,” he reached forward and grabbed her wrist, leaning in, “they packed a room with crates full of this right? Why would they have so many for us if it was bad?” Dinah tugged at his hand but he just used his free one to take the pack.

 

“Butch, they are bad on your lungs over time and you need to be careful with all the other problems in your history,” he ran his hand along her arm and it made her stammer.

 

“Worried about me girl?” He looked cocky again but she felt a rush of anger at him.

 

“Butch this is serious.” She pulled at her hand but he just tightened his own.

 

“Of course, I know that,” he hissed as he leaned closer. “Do you think I pretend my dad didn’t _die._ ” He slid along the bed so his knees hit hers. “I fucking _know._ He died, and while he was an absolutely fucking asshole of a person he was still my _dad._ ”

 

Dinah felt her hands grow clammy as a fear she hadn’t felt in a few years hit her. The last time he scared her like this he had pushed her into a crate and cracked her head. “Butch,” she said weakly pulling at her hand.

 

“No, you opened the _fucking box_ so deal with it. I know that in the future I’m going to become that fucker, odds are against me to not be. My mom is already useless, and she won’t try to help me not become _him_. At least I have a gang who will keep me focused on something. They won’t let me get pushed under the Overseer and I won’t let them either.” His hand holding hers loosened. “I won’t let you either.”

 

Dinah was confused. He was sending her a lot of mixed signals, and after a year of no signals she didn’t know what the right response to this conversation was. She just needed to fill out this history on his family.

 

She sat back, her hand still firmly held by him, and just looked at him.

 

“What’s going on?” Butch sighed heavily at the questions she asked and dropped her hand. “Is it because of the G.O.A.T.?”

 

“How the fuck did I get hairdresser?”

 

“I didn’t even know that was an option, honestly.” She smiled to herself but kept it small until she saw his face. He also was smiling, looking up at the ceiling.

 

“I could just give everyone awful cuts.”

 

“You could also make us all prettier,” she tried to deflect.

 

“You couldn’t get prettier,” he was smirking at her again and she fought the urge to stick her tongue out at him. “Do you think he’ll actually make me be one?”

 

“Who knows? I could ask Amata if you want.” She was writing in his file about a follow up as he spoke. “We can always twist this around into something else, like maybe the art department?”

 

“No, I don’t much care for her figuring out my life.”

 

“You were hitting on her yesterday.” Dinah couldn’t tell if that was jealously in her voice or not. Butch defiantly picked up on it.

 

“Jealousy doesn’t suit you Dinah. You know I only have eyes for you,” was laughing as he moved forward again.

 

She loved when he used her name, but it made her feel like a fool when he treated her like this. “Go home Butch, I’ll see you tomorrow to finish this okay? Your mom needs to come in too so please,” she waved her hand. “Please show up so we can do this? It’s important.” When she looked at him he was leaning forward, his arms resting on his knees and clasped together. “And answer my dad’s questions.”

 

“Would that make you happy?”

 

“Yes, it would.” She smiled at him trying to look charming. Tucking a stray hair behind her ear, because she knew he liked it, she jumped when he leaned in and kissed her cheek. Her eyes were wide when she caught his eye and she flushed when he laughed.

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” sliding off the bed he grabbed his jacket and walked out of the clinic. “Good night, sir.” Dinah spun around to see her dad standing in the doorway of his office.

 

“Dad,” she stood up as the door closed behind Butch and wondered what he was going to say.

 

James was looking at the door that had closed after Butch and had leaned against the frame he stood in. “Did he open up to you?” He looked at her and she bit her lip nervously. “Or did he just kiss you for no reason?”

 

“Dad, it isn’t like that.”

 

“Like what? I’m not upset or accusing. He has the potential to be good, he’s just not there yet. He’s still a child like you,” James waved his hand. “He’s going through some things still I think. Just, be careful?” James rubbed his neck. “Didn’t think I would be talking about this anytime soon but you _are_ sixteen.”

 

“What talk? We already talked about sex and-“

 

James interrupted, red in embarrassment. “No,” he cleared his throat and waved a hand, “I mean,” sighing he pulled up the other chair and sat by her. “You aren’t like the others here.”

 

“What do you mean?” Dinah asked nervously.

 

She was used to hearing this kind of talk. You’re different. Special snowflake. Things any father told his daughter when she was in adolescence.

 

“You are destined for something greater,” he was looking into her eyes seriously. “You won’t be like the other girls, aspiring to _mediocrity_. I named your Dinah for a reason.”

 

“Judgement,” she mirrored. He had told her many times of her biblical origins when it came to her name. “What does that have to do with anything?”

 

“I can’t,” he ran a hand over his face, “I can’t tell you just yet. Big things are happening all around you, and to keep you safe you are in the dark. Just trust in me, and Jonas too, have faith.”

 

Her father was always talking about that. Religion always seemed so important, though they didn’t go to church or talk to much about anything specific. They had a few bibles; a verse was framed in her room. She was very confused by what he was saying.  “What is going on dad? Is everything okay?” She knew her mother had been very religious and she figured that was why her dad was the way he was.

 

“It will be honey. We aren’t ready yet but,” he turned towards the door. “Be wary of the people in the vault. Not everyone has your best interest in mind. I have no doubt that the DeLoria’s are a safe family, now that the husband is out of the picture, but Alphonse has his hands in everything. Just, be careful.” He was patting her knee and stood, but before he walked away he looked at her again. “Be careful of what you say around Amata. She’s still young and things that are new or scare her get reported to her father. She’s making more decisions, breaking some rules,” he chucked at that, “but she’s still the future for this vault and very much her father’s daughter. Help her find her own path?”

 

“I,” Dinah was so confused and stammered. “Ok,” she replied to his retreating back. Her dad rarely referred to the Overseer by his title, always calling him Alphonse. She wondered why he didn’t call him by his appropriate title.

 

As he walked back to his office Dinah examined her hands as they rested against her thighs.

 

She didn’t know what to take away from that conversation and she felt an odd feeling of stress and relief. Why was she relieved?

 

She was going to need to shot her gun tonight.

 

* * *

 

 

The next day Butch arrived early with his mother, looking much better then the day before.

 

Save for the black eye and bruised lip he sported on the right side of his face.

 

As the two walked in Dinah gasped and her father stood and inspected Butch’s face. Butch looked at Dinah and winked, with his good eye, as her father examined the bruise. “Got into a fight, didn’t you?” James asked.

 

“My boy was just defending himself. Nothing wrong with that,” Ellen said angrily as she went to sit on the bed by the screen. She was in her casual clothes today, it was Sunday, and it looked like she had literally rolled out of bed to come in. “Just boys being boys.” Dinah noticed Butch was in blue jeans and a plain white shirt, with the jacket.

 

“Well?” James asked Butch as he applied a small amount of pressure around Butch’s eye. “What happened?”

 

“Just got in a fight, sir.” Dinah felt a flutter, she hated it, that he addressed her father with respect. “The other guy looks worse,” and he was back to being a cocky sixteen-year-old.

 

James leaned back assessing Butch. “Who?”

 

“Just one of the guys,” Butch shrugged.

 

“Wally?” Dinah asked from behind her father. Both men looked at her and she attempted a straight expression in response to her father’s curious gaze. “I know you two have been butting heads lately. About the,” she stammered, “about your group of friends.”

 

“Ah, the _Tunnel Snakes_ ,” her father sounded humored by this. “I’ll get an icepack. Dinah, get them settled in the office? I’ll be right back, just going to the cafeteria freezer to borrow one.” James stepped out and she could hear him whistle as he walked away.

 

“Ma’am, you can come with me. You too, Butch.” She gestured for them to follow and used her keycard to open up the office. There was a long table with a terminal sitting on it with a few chairs surrounding it. Today was the day they read back their findings and gave advice to the families. She didn’t think either of their current patients would listen well.

 

Ellen walked in taking the chair closer to the wall and sagged down into it, closing her eyes. She looked exhausted and her skin, now that it wasn’t covered by the jumpsuit, was pasty white and Dinah could see a few age spots and bruises.

 

A hand came up behind her, resting on her back, and she was startled by Butch whispering in her ear. “I kicked his ass.”

 

Dinah looked up at him, reminded again about how much taller he was, and _really_ looked at his face. His eye was swollen, it looked like he hadn’t iced it yet, and his lip was starting to look swollen as well. Stepping out of the doorway, so his mother wasn’t watching her, she tilted her head and reached up to touch near his eye. When he winced, she gave him a look.

 

“It isn’t a good sign when the leader is getting in fights within the ranks.” She moved away from him, his hand sliding along her back as she left, and grabbed a bandage to put by his lip. He waved it away when she returned.

 

“I want them to see they can’t get to me.” He sounded proud but Dinah didn’t think it was worthy of pride.

 

“They need to respect you, not fight you. Why does Wally think he’s better?”

 

Butch shrugged and Dinah tilted her head. “That’s important to know,” she told him with a sigh. “For the record, I think you’re all stupid, but if you want to lead you need to have a unified plan so you all stand behind it. What are the Snakes about?”

 

“Not conforming to the idea that the Overseer is an end all be all.” Dinah was startled by that. She figured it was something juvenile, like making a mess and causing problems.

 

“And Wally doesn’t agree?”

 

“He thinks we should think bigger. Make our own futures and take him down.” Butch rubbed his jaw, she noticed a cut on his jawline by his ear and looked up at the ceiling. “We have to start small, we can’t burn out too soon. We need to make long term plans.”

 

“How long has this been your goal?”

 

“Well, last year at that party,” he looked down at her with a smirk. “We were going to send a message to him via Amata but, remember, that engineer found us first.”

 

“What were you going to do?”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” he rolled his shoulder and turned towards the office. “Didn’t work out did it?”

 

“Butch,” she watched him go take a seat by his mother, slouching the same way she did. Watching the two and seeing the vast difference between their relationship and the one she had with her father made Dinah feel a little sad.

 

Her father walked in a few moments later, Andy behind him, with an icepack. Dinah followed the two into the office, the Mr. Handy surveying Butch’s face. “All good sir, nothing broken.” He said his goodbye with a twirl of his robotic arm and left. Her father handed Butch the icepack and sat on the other side by the terminal. He looked at Dinah and indicated with his hand that she should stand near him.

 

She moved behind him and eyed the chart, full of health issues going generations back.

 

“So, the first, and main thing is that the drinking needs to stop Ellen.” Ellen didn’t open her eyes, she had probably heard this from him ever time she was here. “If nothing else cut back to beer and lay off the heavy drinks. Your liver isn’t doing well and both you and Butch are already anemic. I don’t have the medication to help you long term for these things. If you plan to continue down this path I can’t offer assistance any longer. I need to see change.” He pulled a small bottle of pills from his drawer and handed them to Butch.

 

“If you insist on getting into fights you need to be taking a vitamin to keep your iron up.” Her father rubbed his hands together a few times and picked up another bottle. “Ellen, this is for your liver. It will make you sick, but it will help it keep working for a while. You will need to start visiting me every few weeks to get checked on, I believe you are close to liver failure. If you want to live long enough to see your boy get married,” his gaze shifted to Butch, “you will make an effort.” The average resident married around nineteen or twenty, he had just given her about four years.

 

Ellen sat quietly, her arms crossed over her chest and her feet crossed as well. A double negative, Dinah noted.

 

“Butch, I’m serious about this vitamin. Even without the fighting you have low iron. With your medical background we can’t be too careful. You are doing well so far, you still need to cut the salt out to help your blood pressure, but otherwise just try to help you mom.” Leaning back in his chair James looked at the two of them with a concerned look. “Dinah, will you take Butch out and see if he needs stitches? He should be good but at least clean it up for us. Me and Ellen are going to have a talk.” Dinah nodded and walked out of the room, Butch slowly followed. She smiled to herself as she heard the pill bottle get stuffed in his pocket.

 

“Take a seat by the bed?” She said as she found the extra stool. “Jonas is better at this then me, but luckily I won’t be working here in the future so,” she chuckled to herself. She was getting light headed, from being around him for an extended amount of time. It was a little sobering to know that when he went back out he would start to ignore her and be mean again.

 

He took a seat and she used her foot on the peddle by his legs to lower his chair. Bending down just a little she tipped his head to the side, her fingers holding his chin firmly. The cut on his chin was dry and clean. Maybe from shaving? “What was this?” Her fingers tapped near the cut and she frowned at the flinch. She wondered just how much abuse he had experienced over the years.

 

“Shaving, stop worrying so much runt.” As her fingers probed at the bruise by his lip she was hit with the memory of when they were fourteen, shooting by the reactor and him telling her about his dad. “You still sweet on me?” He was smirking and she pressed harder then she needed to near his eye. Hissing he pulled away, his hand reaching out and grabbing her wrist. “Take a joke,” he muttered glaring at her.

 

“You’re hot and cold Butch. I don’t know _how_ to take you.” She was glaring. He really was. Some days he made her feel special, others he made her feel like dirt. “If you like me then _like me.”_ She pulled her arm away and stood up straight. “You don’t need stitches but you need to be careful. That pretty face of yours doesn’t need more scars.” She tapped her hand on his cheek roughly and walked over to the other side of the room. “You can leave, they shouldn’t be too long.” She tugged at the sleeves on her long-sleeved shirt, she had worn jeans and a black shirt, nervously. “I’m leaving so just don’t make a mess.”

 

She grabbed her small satchel, full of a few comics and books for when she was bored in the clinic. This was the only thing required of her today, Jonas would be in shortly, so she could just leave once she was done.

 

As she left she heard the chair he had sat in squeak as he moved as well. She hoped that, if nothing else, he would take the pills daily to save himself.

 

She rounded the corner by the old school room and heard the younger kids inside asking about the Overseer and Mr. Brotch droning on about how wonderful he was. This place really was conditioned to trust the Overseer. She wondered why her family hadn’t pushed that on her too.

 

She could hear boots behind her and knew Butch had listened to her and had left. Not looking over her shoulder she went past the cafeteria and took a sharp turn to go down to the lower levels.

 

She heard his boots on the stairs and knew he was following her. At the bottom she turned and waited, her arms crossed. When he landed at the bottom, jumping the last few steps, he met her eyes lazily. “Following me?” She accused. He shrugged and she rolled her eyes. “Mature,” she waved behind her head for him to follow. “We haven’t shot together in a while,” she nodded at someone as they passed by.

 

“Is that where you’re going?”

 

“No,” she took the opposite turn towards a door leading to the lower atrium. “I haven’t done my cleaning duty this week and the Overseer mentioned it at breakfast this morning.” Pushing with her shoulder she opened a door leading into a utility closet. Putting her bag on the hook by the door, and holding it open with her foot, she found the cleaning caddy and pulled it out with some gloves and a mask. She was about to be mean. “Your mom’s job still needs doing. So, I was going to do that _and_ mine.”

 

“You’re doing my moms job?” He looked startled. “Why?”

 

“So, she doesn’t get in trouble.” Dinah shrugged. “I have to also clean the floors in the cafeteria tonight after dinner. They need,” she made a face, “deep cleaned where there is carpet. Whose idea was it to put carpet where we eat?” She was irritated and grabbed an extra pair of gloves and tossed them at him. “You can help, since you followed me and all.” She grabbed and extra broom and shoved it at him. After a moment, he looked ready to bolt, Butch took the broom from her with a scowl.

 

“She’s not gotten in trouble for a while,” he looked critically at her. “How long have you been doing this for her?”

 

Dinah shrugged. “A year or so.” Walking past him, she insured the door locked behind her.

 

“Why?” He was being quiet as he followed, confused by the kindness

 

“Because I’m nice, Butch. She needs help and won’t ask for it. I hope my dad will get through to her but,” Dinah shrugged again. “I need to clean the reactor room and a few hallways down here.” Turning back to him, and making sure he followed her, she tried to make her face relax. “Will you help me?”

 

Butch arched and eyebrow as he raised the broom slightly. “I can say no?” Even with a swollen eye and split lip he made her stutter when he made that face. “Come on runt, lets go. It’s my mom, after all.”

 

When they arrived at the reactor room Floyd eyed them suspiciously until he saw the cleaning gear. “Helping your mom out Butch?” He eyed Dinah with more suspicion. “Why are you here?”

 

Dinah smiled sweetly as she rolled a towel and put it on the ground for her knees. “I’m nice,” she said as she pulled out her broom from the basket and started sweeping. “It’s almost lunch, you can go, I’ll keep an eye on him,” she gestured to Butch who scowled at the comment.

 

“Hmm,” Floyd typed something into the terminal. “I’ll just grab something and take a smoke break. Don’t really trust you kids after last year, doctors kid or not.” He nodded goodbye and walked out the door without looking back. Butch flipped the door off after, cursing.

 

“Fucker,” he muttered angrily.

 

“I mean,” Dinah started to pull her hair up out of her face, “they did tackle him.” As she secured it into a bun, a few strands falling around her face she realized something. “Wait, where were you when that happened? I only remember Wally and Paul. Freddy was in the vent,” she bit her lip as she looked over at him.

 

“It didn’t work out,” he shrugged again as he swept out a corner, moving a crate then moving it back on top of the pile he had made.

 

“Someday, will you tell us what happened?” Butch tossed his head and laughed.

 

She suddenly realized he was laughing more often.

 

“Maybe someday, or we may just do it this year some time.”

 

Dinah took her broom and swept out the filth from under the console table. These guys were messy. “Didn’t Paul get placed in maintenance?”

 

“Engineering,” Butch said without looking at her. He was bent over, sweeping the opposite corner now. “Wally is going into security,” he chuckled at that. “Freddy is,” Butch leaned back, his arm going to his hip. “Actually, I don’t think he had result when I was there.”

 

“You stormed out.” Dinah reminded him. Butch made a noise in response and continued to sweep.

 

As they continued sweeping Dinah noticed  Butch just swept it into another corner and covered it with something, Dinah got on her knees and grabbed the cleaning powder to add to the floor. “Can you get water for the bucket?” She turned to him and flushed when she realized he had been watching her bend over. He had the decency of looking, only slightly, embarrassed. He quickly covered with a smirk as he grabbed the bucket and headed out.

 

Only a minute passed before the door opened and Dinah looked up, knowing it couldn’t be Butch already.

 

Wally Mack walked in with his arms crossed. He sported jeans and a white shirt, also wearing his jacket. “I see he’s still on this,” Wally muttered looking at Dinah.

 

“Wally?” Dinah stood, dusting her hands on her jeans, a white residue sticking to them from the motion. When she looked at his face she realized Butch hadn’t lied when he told them to _see the other guy._ Wally had two black eyes, a long cut across his cheek from his chin to left ear. “What did he do to you?” Dinah couldn’t stop it from slipping out.

 

Wally furrowed his brows angrily. “I got what I deserved,” he said after a moment. “Shouldn’t have picked the fight that day, too sensitive. The prick,” he spit on her floor and Dinah glared at him.

 

“Wally, what do you want?”

 

“Well, I was walking around and noticed Butch come out of this room with a bucket. Figured I’d see what exactly he was up to as he _never_ does his weekly cleaning. Then I see you, on your knees in here. What are you, sucking his dick?”

 

“Wally!” He had usually been nice to her, or at least not outwardly mean like this. “I am helping his mom out and guilted him into helping me with it.” She ran a hand over her forehead, the room was hot, and glared at him. “If you’re going to be mean then leave. Butch is coming back and,” she couldn’t stop it, “you don’t want to get beat on again.”

 

He walked quickly to her, messing up the powder on her floor. He would be tracking that through the vault and she would have to clean it. As he approached she moved back, her thighs hitting the table causing her to sit slightly as she shrunk away. While Butch was physically intimidating on a regular basis Dinah hadn’t experienced the other boys in a while. Wally was tall and lean. He bent down, his hand grabbing her arm roughly. “He won’t be beating _me_ anytime soon.” Dinah felt tears well in her eyes and shoved him roughly. Taking only a step back he quickly got in her face again. “He thinks he is our leader but _fuck him._ ”

 

Dinah twisted her arm out of his grasp and pushed him again. When he took a step back she quickly moved around him to go to the door but he turned quickly and tripped her. As she landed on the floor, yelling at the impact on her hands that braced her fall, Dinah twisted back around and kicked her foot out at him causing him to fall as well. “What the hell Wally,” she almost screeched. “I’ve only ever been nice to you!” She pushed up off the floor, her left wrist pulsing. “He is doing the same damned thing you did so don’t go pulling that crap on me. Figure your own shit out and don’t take it out on me. We are going to be here the rest of our lives so,” she was cut off by Wally reaching forward, having pulled himself up quickly, and smashing his lips to her own roughly.

 

She didn’t hesitate before she flailed at him, pushing him back and wiping her mouth on her hand. “Come on, what the hell do you two see in each other?” Wally glared angrily at her. “I’ve seen the looks he sends you, even told us to back off a little.” He spit on the floor again. “What do you do to him?”

 

“Nothing!” Dinah rubbed her forehead again, sweat seeping through her hair to her skin. She had put on a little makeup that morning and she felt foolish now. “I’ve done nothing but try to be nice, to _all of you._ ” Dinah was seething. If she had had a mirror she would see her cheeks splotchy and her eyes red from crying. “You may not be my friend but I didn’t hate you. We’re just kids,” she bit her lip and winced as she realized he had bit it when he tried to kiss her. Touching it gently she came back with blood. “I don’t care that you guys fight, leave me out of it.” She sniffed, her eyes wet again. “I didn’t do anything to you, Wally.” She rubbed her arm where he had grabbed her and made a move to the door. Before she opened it though, she turned. “You are going to be security someday, you are supposed to look out for us. I thought the Snakes wanted to help us get out from under the Overseer?”

 

Wally looked taken aback by her final comment and tilted his head. “Yeah, well,” he stammered before she approached him, her hand grabbing his collar in her fist.

 

“Look out for us first,” she hissed. “To break the brainwashing, you have to have people on your side. Get your shit together, work together, and stop this. If you do this to me again I won’t hesitate to report you.”

 

“Dinah,” Wally had the grace to look ashamed.

 

“Fuck _off_ Wally.” She pushed him away, her small body feeling the adrenaline of their confrontation. “And get out before Butch comes back, it should be soon.”

 

Wally, angry at the mention of Butch again, pushed past her with force enough to knock her down. As the door slid shut she heard him take off at a run. She sat on the ground, her left wrist feeling a fire spread, and wondered how hard it would be to just sweep this up and leave it for another day.

 

After a few more minutes she had the powder reset and was rubbing her nose on her good wrist when Butch walked back in.

 

He quickly took in her look, red face and messed hair. She was still sniffing and her eyes were glassy and red. Then there was her swollen lip and blood on her hand and around her mouth. Putting the bucket down by the door he shut it, locked it, and squatted down by her.

 

“What happened?” His face was thunderous, his grey eyes getting darker as he squinted. When she tried to smile he gripped her chin and his thumb touched her lip, making her hiss. “I was gone for, like, ten minutes.”

 

Smiling a little, or trying to, she answered with, “you should see the other guy.”

 

* * *

 

 

 

Later that night, after going to her dad and saying she tripped down the stairs and getting a stimpak, Dinah stood by the cafeteria as the last few people left. Amata had asked after her, seeing her swollen lip, and looked furious when Dinah said she had been harassed by a Tunnel Snake.

 

_Which one? Butch?_

 

Dinah rubbed her neck, her hair in a bun again as the heat set in the hallway with all the people who had been occupying it passed by.

 

Butch had helped her clean the room, only asking a few questions that she avoided. They didn’t need to fight more amongst themselves. As long as Wally heeded her words and worked together with Butch instead of against him things would be fine and she would keep it to herself.

 

She licked her bottom lip, knowing that biting hurt like crazy right now, and walked in to see Andy clearing a table. The robot turned to her, his floating eyes blinking at her. “Ah, Ms. Dinah,” he approached her and if a robot could smile she would imagine it looking like Andy. “Thank you for the assistance tonight. The carpets are in the side room, just grab the vacuum and have at it.” He drifted away, back to his table, and left her to her work. Sighing, tired from a weird day, Dinah drug her feet over to the room. The vacuum was against the far wall and she walked over to start her work.

 

The carpet was wet in a few locations, she would need to suck that up first with some towels, and there were a few mystery stains along the edging where tables had been placed on top of to hide. She would need to move the tables then soak the stains, then vacuum up the rest. Sighing, after a long trying day, Dinah started to move the heavy tables away from the walls, followed by the chairs which she stacked.

 

She was beginning to think they gave here these jobs because she would actually clean, unlike her classmates who just hide the mess as Butch had earlier that day.

 

Once she had the tables and chairs moved she leaned against a wall, her wrist still hurting from earlier. The stimpak had helped with the swelling but not with the pain. She suspected her father had give her a lower dosage to insure it healed correctly. As she massaged it she heard Andy greet someone and a small smile crept on her face.

 

Amata walked in with a big smile and a stack of books.

 

“Dinah!” Amata smiled brightly as she put the books down on a vacant table. “I got the books from my dad’s library for you.” She rubbed her forehead, as she counted them. “Five books on plant life and biology. You sure about this?”

 

“Absolutely! If I can just get in that greenhouse and show my value,” Dinah was excited and it showed. She rushed over and hugged Amata tightly. “I’m so excited,” she tucked in a stray hair before quietly asking, “has your dad made any decisions yet?”

 

“Well, a few. You are still in the pile, I think this next week he gets to the sciences. I know Susie is going to get into the tailor department, she had to talk her way out of teaching. Maybe they will ask her to do both?” Amata sighed. “We need more people.” She wrung her hands together. “We better pray some of these kids branch out more than we did. We are barely covering the gaps right now.”

 

“Well, what would you do?”

 

Amata tilted her head to the side in thought. “I’d make it less about the G.O.A.T and more about their obvious skill.”

 

“Well, future Overseer, what will you be doing until you take over.”

 

“Believe it or not, medical. I’ll be working with your dad apparently.” She was smiling but Dinah had a feeling that it might not be because of skill. The Overseer had always bashed heads with her father, and maybe this was his way of keeping tabs on him. She couldn’t imagine why. “So, we will still see each other all the time!” Dinah mirrored her smile, having learned long ago how to fake it.

 

“Do you know what way your dad is leaning? For me I mean?”

 

“You’ll for sure end up doing some lab work, maybe stimpaks? I don’t know about the greenhouse,” she leaned in, “I’ve totally mentioned it to him though. He didn’t shoot me down, he just sat back to think. Don’t blow your interview tomorrow okay?”

 

“Interview?”

 

“Didn’t you get the message?”

 

Dinah pulled up her pipboy messages and scrolled a few. “Oh, here it is. Monday at 2 pm? What is the interview?”

 

“Its for those of us who ended up in broad categories. So, like you and science, that needs to be narrowed down. Paul and engineering too.”

 

“Wally?”

 

“He will go straight to training with the other guards.”

 

“Freddy?”

 

Amata tilted her head. “I actually can’t remember where he placed.”

 

“Butch?”

 

“What about the Butch-man?” Butch walked into the room, Freddy behind him, with his hands in his pockets. “My ears were ringing; some pretty girls are talking about me.”

 

“We weren’t talking about _just you._ ” Amata shot back. She had straightened up, no longer leaning on the table, to glare at him properly. “We were discussing your placement.” Amata glanced at Freddy. “Where did you place Freddy?”

 

“I haven’t heard yet,” he muttered.

 

“Hmm, I’ll look for you.” Amata turned to Dinah. “How much do you have left?”

 

“All of it,” Dinah sighed. “What are you boys up to?” She was going to play nice, see how he wanted to treat her now.

 

“Hey!” Amata cut in, “which of your lackeys beat up on Dinah earlier.” She crossed her arms. “If it was you Butch DeLoria I will have your head.”

 

He shot a dark look at Amata, his hands coming out of his pockets to run through his hair. “I didn’t have anything to do with that.” He mumbled angrily. Looking at Dinah his face softened a little. “At least she gave as much as she got.” Amata turned to Dinah, a shocked face.

 

“Who? You fought back?” Amata thought for a moment before snapping her fingers. “Wally got beat on the other day by Butch, and he’s the only one who looked beat up today. Did you make it worse? What did he do?”  


“He made a stupid comment,” Dinah said as she grabbed her towels and pressed them against the floor. Butch inclined his head at Freddy and the two grabbed towels and started to help. “What are you guys doing?”

 

“Well, as way of apology for Wally,” Freddy sniffed, “we are helping.” He didn’t seem happy about it, but Dinah looked at Butch to see his reaction. He was getting soft. “We need allies out here,” he said.

 

“Really?” Amata said quietly. Grabbing a towel herself she walked over to help. As they pulled the towels up, black and blue stains on them from spilled Nuka Colas, they added them to a bucket and grabbed more. Dinah walked over and got the vacuum, pushed the button, and started the dull process of cleaning. When she looked up she noticed Amata chatting with Freddy and Butch, her hands wringing behind her back.

 

As she finished up the carpet she put the vacuum along the wall and returned to her friend. “Ready to go, Amata?” She interrupted the heated debate Freddy was making about the curfew. Butch had leaned back, smoking she noted, and was watching her.

 

“Hmm, yeah. I’ll meet you tomorrow at lunch? I’m supposed to see your dad about taking a few shifts to learn the ropes with you while you are still there.” The girls kept talking as they walked and Dinah filled her in some basics. As Amata walked with her, the boys following, Amata quickly added, “don’t be late to your interview tomorrow.”

 

Dinah promptly stopped, Freddy bumping into her, and dashed back to the cafeteria. “The books! See you tomorrow Amata, boys!”

 

She rushed back, the three watching her go as she went to retrieve the books. As she picked them up she also grabbed her satchel that she had forgotten and slung it around her shoulders. Turning around she noticed Butch approaching her, hands in pockets again. He waited for her to walk up to him, kicking his foot against the ground. “What’s up?” She adjusted the strap and balanced her books on the other hand. He reached out taking the books and nodding his head for her to follow. As they walked she could smell the leather and tobacco.

 

“I’m sorry.” His face was scrunched up and she noticed he was looking at the far wall as they rounded the corner to the hallway.

 

“What?” She blinked up at him, confused.

 

“For Wally. That shouldn’t have happened. I need better control over my group,” he shifted his shoulders forward, the jacket making a creaking noise.

 

“You do,” she agreed reaching up to touch her lip. As the rounded another corner she could see his mother sitting outside the apartment cleaning the floors. “What is she doing?”

 

“I mentioned that you had been doing her job. Whatever your dad said to her today, it seemed to have helped a little, she’s already cleaned out the apartment.” He walked past with Dinah, his mom looking up and smiling a small smile at them.

 

“Oh, I don’t know what he said. I assume something about taking care of herself.”

 

“We’ll see if it sticks.” He said bitterly. “Never did with my dad,” he inhaled loudly. “Anyway,” he looked at her. “Tell me what happened with Wally.”

 

Dinah swallowed, feeling cornered. She didn’t want to cause more issues. “Let me start with the fact that I stood up for myself and chewed him out before he fled.” She stopped by her front door and swiped her key. All the lights were out inside, her dad wasn’t home yet. “Come on, you can come inside for a bit.” She put her bag by the door and took the books, putting them on the counter.

 

Moving to her fridge he opened it up, without asking, and took a water. Closing it with his foot, a boot print left on the corner that she would need to clean up, he leaned against the counter by their fridge. “So? What happened?”

 

Dinah took the water from him, wiped the lid, and took a drink as she sat at the small table she and her father used when they ate. “Well, it started with him messing up my floor, so I was pretty angry to start.” She rubbed at her chin nervously at how he was watching her.

 

“Ok, but that doesn’t explain the split lip and, don’t try to hide it, the bruised wrist that you keep holding.”

 

Looking down she realized she had been cradling it. “Oh,” smiling a small sad smile she looked back up. “He, well, he got offended when I asked what happened to his face then told him to leave before you came back or you would make it worse.” She took a small drink and noticed his smile. “He told me he wasn’t your boss and I told him to calm down, he grabbed at me and I pushed him. He pushed back and I fell, then,” she bit her lip and winced. “Details.” She waved her good hand with a smile.

 

“I’d like to hear them.”

 

“He kissed me,” she said quietly, “and when I-“

 

“He what?” Butch interrupted her and she realized the volume of his voice startled him because his eyes widened after he spoke. “He kissed you?” He asked with a quieter voice.

 

“Yes, he said he wanted to-“

 

“He kissed _you._ ” He was repeating it and Dinah sighed as he processed.

 

“Yes, and I pushed him away.”

 

“ _He, kissed you?”_

 

“Yes.” She crossed her arms angrily. “Let me continue. He wanted to know what you saw in me, and I guess that was why he did it. I told him to,” she hesitated, now that the anger was gone she didn’t have the voice to say it. “I told him to _leave.”_

 

“Hmm, so he kissed you,” he was looking at his knuckles.

 

“I also told him he needed to get his stuff together and work with you. Your group needs to be strong if you are going to help change anything here. He pushed me, I grabbed him and pushed back.”

 

Butch was nodding, looking at his hands still. Dinah sighed and reached over the table with her good hand to push against him. “The _fucker_ has been avoiding me all day.” He said when he looked up. “This is why.” He leaned back, the chair tilting on its back legs as he pushed on the table.

 

“You seem more upset about him kissing me then him hurting me,” she said after a moment.

 

“Oh no, I’m livid that he touched you at all.” He was standing up, slapping his hands on his knees as he did. He moved to the side of the table she sat on and touched her hair, petting it. “Are you okay?”

 

“I got a stimpak from my dad, told him I fell down the stairs, but it still stings. I’ll be okay, I just have to be careful of my lip, I keep biting it.” Butch took her good hand and pulled her to stand before him.

 

“Well, I guess I need to get my boys in line.” He muttered as he tapped her chin with his fingers. When she looked up she smiled at him, her teeth showing. “Can’t have them going after the girl I’m into.”

 

He leaned down and kissed her and Dinah felt her toes curl in her shoes. He had improved since the last time and briefly she wondered if he had been practicing on someone. He leaned in, his hands going under her arms and he lifted her onto the table, moving between her legs. Dinah pulled back, startled, and looked up at him.

 

“I’ve wanted to do this for almost,” he leaned in his lips brushing her jaw and working to her ear, “almost a year.” His hands moved, one to the side of her neck to tilt her mouth back to his, and the other to her hair where it removed the bun and gripped a handful.

 

“Didn’t act like it,” she breathed against his lips when he pulled back. “Always picking on me,” her hands moved up his arms and pulled at his hair causing him to tip his head back with a smile.

 

“I liked when you fought me.” He pulled her face back and ran his tongue over her lower lip. “Does it hurt?”

 

“Not when you do that,” she said quietly as he repeated it. Opening her mouth to him she hummed when his tongue ran along her own and smiled as his hands moved back to her side causing her to laugh. “Why did you wait so long?” She asked when he pulled back again.  

 

Shrugging he ran his lips under her ear again. “Want to see my snake?” Dinah sat back, her eyes wide and pushed him with a laugh. “God, woman.” He was laughed with her.

 

Placing her hand on his chest, her fingers curling around the leather of his jacket, she shook him slightly. Kicking her feet under the table she couldn’t stop the smile. “You going to be any nicer to me now?”

 

“Not a chance,” he kissed her again with a toothy grin. “Might be meaner.”

 

“Well,” she licked her lips and a free hand reached up to touch her lip. Letting go of his jacket she slid off the table and took the water. “Go home Butch, don’t mess up your interview.”

 

“I have one? Didn’t know that,” he looked at his pipboy for a minute before he looked back up, “you too runt. Can’t have you getting stuck in a stuffy lab without all those plants.” He reached forward, his thumb rubbing her lip. “If you _ever_ have this happen again, you will tell me, okay?”

 

“You’re not my boss.” She was still smiling.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had to break this chapter up into two chapters, otherwise it's close to 20,000 words, and that's a bit much. Haha. So luckily you are getting two chapters today!! :) Feedback is greatly loved. 
> 
> Also...gets a bit physical and earns the rating going forward.

The greenhouse got very humid by the end of the day and Dinah had taken to wearing a tank top under her suit so she could unzip it and feel some relief.

Her meeting with the Overseer, or Alphonse as she mentally called him now, had gone pretty poorly. She had stammered through every questions and tripped herself up on a few answers. While he did tell her the he would allow her to maintain the greenhouse he wanted her to primarily work in the labs making Stimpaks and Radaway. They had a shortage of supplies, or so he told her when he told her where she would be working.

They had maintenance currently working on a project in the old apartment block to turn them around for the younger years who were going to be needing their own space soon. They younger generation was booming, ten kids, and when they graduated they would need more housing. It was a good sign, but it put stress on Dinah’s generation to help accommodate. Things would be better once the kids aged and got into the work force. She wondered if that was how the older one felt about her own.

While working in the apartments they had found a room with a major tear in the walls, and radiation seeping in. It had been quarantined and the workers had been treated, but it had needed a hazmat team to make it a project to fix.

Needless to say, they needed more Radaway and it kept Dinah busy as the only current worker in both labs. Andy would pop in, and Jonas and her father as well. Until the Overseer had put her in the labs the two of them just made what they needed then rushed out. It helped to have her making a stockpile now for bad situations.

Her relationship with Amata had improved drastically. Amata had started to mellow out more over the last year, her birthday had been just Dinah and a few girls, and they had chatted about plans for the vault. She was going to run things differently then her father, though they had been sworn to secrecy. They were seventeen now and had started getting a little more serious.

Alphonse had started acting differently. Dinah wasn’t the only one to notice either. The Tunnel Snakes had kick started their activity over the last year and it was showing. They had found posters in storage, inspirational quotes about the Overseer on them, and painted over them. When walking the atrium it wasn’t unheard of to see a banner or poster with: Fight the Power or Fuck the Overseer. Dinah had remembered Amata being so scared of her father the first time they had seen the posters.

Instead of breaking down on the Tunnel Snakes they had received no backlash. It made everyone a little worried, including the Tunnel Snakes.

Wally and Butch, while still competitive, worked well together now. Dinah assumed that the two had sat down to talk, or so Butch had mentioned to her, and they now worked towards a common goal. The brainwashing of the youth and setting them free. It wasn’t unknown how the teacher, Mr. Broch, preached about the Overseer and everyone’s dire need to follow his example and listen to his word like it was gospel.

They wanted to open the doors. It was something even Amata talked about occasionally. It had been opened before in the past, teams had gone out though none had returned. Oddly enough Dinah’s father quickly shut her down when she would ask him about it, stating that she had bigger worries then the vault door. He didn’t tell her what that could be though.

Dinah’s father had gotten closer with both Jonas and Amata over the last year. With Amata working in the clinic with him it was not surprising that they would become closer. Amata, though she had a father of her own, seemed to have taken a shine to James. Dinah had mixed feelings about it, especially since her father told her to be careful about what she says to Amata while not alienating her.

She may be the future Overseer but look at Alphonse now and know he wasn’t always like this.

Dinah sighed, the heat setting in and her arms aching from typing into the terminal in the greenhouse. She was currently cataloging all the plants she had been able to salvage this year, from carrots to something called cauliflower, she was logging everything.

Her first week, five months after her G.O.A.T exam, she had spent cleaning the greenhouse. While it was still messy she knew where to find everything and was making progress on food production. Andy would visit with a bag for her to fill and the residents of Vault 101 knew who to thank.

The Overseer. They thanked the Overseer.

He had been making a point on checking in on her once a week, to make sure everything was growing well and that she wasn’t neglecting her lab work. He had walked in on her working with Amata one day and had chastised his daughter for bothering Dinah.

She had a feeling that Amata was being watched as well.

Dinah and Butch had been dancing around each other all year. For his birthday she had given him her old BB gun and a public kiss on the cheek. At her birthday he had pulled her aside, slammed her against a wall, and reminded her that he did in fact still like her.

He was still very busy setting up the barber shop, he refused to call it a hairdresser, and was actually doing very well. He spent most of his time between there and working with the other Snakes. Occasionally he would pop in on her, but she suspected it was to pocket a few stimpaks as the boys still fought occasionally and Butch always seemed to have a split lip or black eye. He joked about them fighting for fun, to keep in shape, but Dinah didn’t understand that mentality at all.

He had been taking his pills, especially since he had to have a transfusion a few months back. He had gotten into a brawl with Wally, a few days after the incident with Dinah, and had lost only a little blood, as he put it. It was enough for him to need a transfusion though. The two somehow had found common ground after that and were thick as thieves.

His mother was also working on her sobriety. She still drank, but much less. Butch had told her about taking all the hard liquor out of the house one night and giving it to Dinah’s father. While Ellen could have a beer, she was not allowed hard liquor and had a hard time getting ahold of it. She was a nasty lady, but she had softened up a little because of it. Ellen was even making it a point to show up to her appointments and Jonas said she may extend her life a little with the rate she was improving.

Dinah stifled a yawn, having been in the greenhouse all day today. It was late into her Sunday and instead of taking the free day she was trying to catch up on all the work she wanted to get done. Her lab work was going well, she kept up with the ridiculous quota Alphonse left for her, but it left her tired and sore. Her eyes started to water near lunch most days and Amata would sneak her in some extra food as she wasn’t eating as often as she should.

A loud bang caused her to jump up, her hands resting against the table as she looked towards the glass doors as they slid open. They greenhouse only had half the power it needed so the doors had to be pushed apart, instead of manually with a sensor.

Butch grunted as he pushed the door with his shoulder. “Fucking mechanics,” he muttered as he dusted at his jackets shoulder. When he found her, behind a few tall overgrown racks of plants, he smiled the only way he knew how. No teeth and with half his mouth. “How’s it going, runt?” He stood opposite her with his arms crossed. “Ready to get out of here? No one has seen you in a few days so I figured I’d check in.” He inspected his nails, a new habit he had formed after beginning work in the barbershop.

“I’m almost done here,” Dinah looked down at her dirty nails and tucked her hands under the table. “I was just cataloging a few more plants and noting their growth and what is working, what lighting then need, and,” Butch cut her off with a sigh.

“Runt,” he muttered as he ran a hand through his hair. “You know I,” he winced, “I really don’t care.” He put his hands in his pockets. “I mean, you have helped make dinner enjoyable don’t get me wrong but, well,” he rolled his eyes. “Science has never been my thing.”

“This isn’t science Butch,” Dinah muttered as she shut down the terminal. The info would go to the Overseer that night and he would either tell her to do more or less. “How’re the boys?” She rubbed her forehead and jumped when Butch reached forward and swiped his thumb at her forehead. She had dirt all over her hands and she wondered what the rest of her looked like. She rolled her shoulders and noticed him looking at her. She hadn’t put her jumpsuit back on and was in a tank top and jeans that she had cut off around the knees. She would need to change before she got in the halls, they would tell her she was inappropriately dressed.

He swallowed and looked away, rubbing his neck. He had shaving the sides of his head, the vaults summer heat setting had kicked in, and looked like he was sweating. “Good, just busy.” He looked back at her with that smile. “Let’s get some food,” he nodded his head at the door. “Its almost after hours and you don’t like sneaking in there for food so,” he rolled his eyes at her pout and gestured for her to give him her hand.

Their relationship had changed a lot over the year. While they weren’t dating, Dinah didn’t know if that was something either of them was capable of, they did have feelings.

She placed her hand in his and laughed when he tugged it behind him to the door. “Wait, wait,” she laughed as she pulled back. “I have to put on proper clothes.” She grabbed her jeans and quickly ducked behind a table to change, when she would glance up she would catch him quickly turning away red in the face. “Ok,” she pulled a proper shirt over her tank top, “let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

They were sitting in the cafeteria eating with Freddy and Amata around 9 that night. Dinner would be over in a thirty minutes and Andy was already flipping chairs. Dinah had her feet tucked in and was listening to Amata talk about something Jonas had said the day before that was hilarious and she was smiling at her friend wondering when she would admit to the crush. Freddy, who was sitting next to Amata, looked miserable with his dinner half eaten and a sour look on his face every time she said Jonas’ name. Butch was leaning back in the booth, a good foot away from Dinah, with his arm slung over the back and tugging gently on her ponytail end.

“And so, he said we would just refile the whole thing!” Amata laughed to herself, as no one else was laughing, and covered her mouth when she noticed. “Well, I guess you had to be there,” she bit into her cake, already on desert.

“Jonas can make some funny comments,” Dinah offered to the table. “You should see him at Founders Day, he’s not a fan,” she took another bite of her grilled vegetables and smiled to herself. She provided these to Andy and was pleased to see them used properly.

“Sure,” Freddy muttered, tugging on his lapel. “So Butch,” Butch looked up from his lap where he had been inspecting the skin around his knuckles. “When is our next meeting?”

“Tomorrow night,” Butch lifted his hand and showed Amata his knuckles, “is this gonna heal alright?” His knuckles were swollen and Dinah knew instantly that he had been in a fight again. She had to stop herself from reaching out to touch it.

Amata sat forward and turned his hand. “You need to ice it, for sure.” She turned it and looked up at him when he winced. “Stop fighting, that would help.” She dropped his hand down and crossed her arms. “And don’t forget you have a meeting with my father tomorrow night, you too Dinah.” Dinah looked up, having forgotten.

“Oh, right.” Dinah sighed, knowing it was probably an evaluation. “When?”

“All three of us are due in around 5PM.” Amata tapped something into her pipboy and both Butch’s and Dinah’s beeped at the message. “Freddy, don’t forget you need to report in around 3PM tomorrow.” She sent him one as well. “I’ll be there most of the day to sit in on them,” she told them with a sour face.

“What is it about? How well I cut hair?” Butch laughed to himself, his body had somehow moved closer to hers without her notice and his hand was touching her shoulder.

“I honestly don’t know. He has been getting more serious with his talks of me taking over, so I get why Dinah is involved but not you Butch.”

“What? Why me?” Dinah leaned back and kept her eyes trained on Amata, though they wanted to look at the hand now tugging on her collar.

“Well, when I become Overseer the Clinic will need more help. Your dad isn’t getting younger. Luckily some of the kids in class show promise with medicine.”

“Yeah, but is our meeting all together? Why?” Butch asked, Dinah nodded her head as well.

“I don’t know, he tells me some things but not everything.” Amata grabbed a napkin and tapped her mouth. “Speaking of,” she sat forward, the other three joining in. “I’ve been thinking more and more about the door.”

The vault door was what she was referring too. It had been on all of their minds for the past year. Since it came up as a joke at Susie Mack’s birthday party they had actually been talking amongst themselves. Alphonse would not tolerate it, but he wouldn’t be Overseer forever.

“And?” Freddy asked, his hands fisted on the table nervously as he looked around.

“I have been considering bringing it up with him.”

Butch and Freddy both leaned back and Dinah quickly whispered out, “No. That’s a bad idea Amata.” She brought her own clinched hands to her lap nervously. “He doesn’t like change.”

“He was okay with more casual days and the hair thing.”

“That is not the same as opening the door,” Butch said irritably. “We can’t show our hand too early or we’ll lose it all.”

Amata sighed. “Guys, I think it wouldn’t hurt to talk about.”

“Not yet,” Dinah said as she leaned against the table. “Wait and see what he says at our meeting tomorrow. We need everyone on board with it before you go talking to him about it.”

Amata bit the side of her lip, Freddy locking in on the gesture, and nodded. “Ok, fine. What if we get everyone together sometime this next week? We need to talk soon anyway, graduation is coming up and we really won’t see each other as much after that.”

The group nodded, the Tunnel Snakes in full support of this. “I’ll tell the boys. Do we want to start reaching out to the younger ones yet?”

“No,” Dinah said quickly before Amata could. “They need to be ignorant for a little longer. Who knows who to trust here.” She looked around again nervously. “Let’s not talk out in the open about this, okay? Set a meeting and we can all discus this.”

“Ok,” the others responded.

As they got up Amata gave Dinah a tight hug. “I miss you, try to get out more?” Dinah said fondly. “My dad will give you a break if you ask.”

“I could say the same thing,” Amata said with a bright smile, her long black hair bouncing as she stood. “I don’t want more status updates from Butch.” Amata gave her a knowing look. “Who we need to talk about.”

Dinah colored but nodded. “Ok, set a meeting and we can get together soon. Otherwise I will meet you in the atrium tomorrow around 4:30?”

Amata nodded and waved good-bye to the boys. “Bye Butch, bye Freddy,” winking at Freddy Amata rushed off.

Freddy was a bright red but was talking to Butch when Dinah turned around. The two were in deep talks it appeared, Butch leaning down slightly to be level with Freddy.

Freddy was a full-on Snake now, or so Dinah assumed. If it wasn’t for Wally she was sure he would have been much sooner. Butch needed people, especially with the plans he had.

“Hey, Dinah,” Freddy walked up with Butch. “Want to go with us?”

“Where? Curfew kicks in soon guys.” Dinah was looking at her pipboy as she said this. At 10 they would be due in.

“Want to check out our future homes? We want to see what the apartments look like, but with the maintenance crew there we can’t get a good look.”

“And they are off after hours so,” Dinah nodded. “Well, it couldn’t hurt right?” She smiled to herself. “Can I rush home first? I smell,” she fanned herself, pulling on her collar.

“Sure, meet us at the atrium around 10:30. We have other people to talk to first anyway.” Freddy nodded to Butch and rushed off.

“Who is he getting?” Dinah asked as the two left the cafeteria.

“The other snakes, Susie and Christine.” Butch had his hands in his pockets as he steered her around a corner.

“So, what are you planning?”

“What do you mean?” He had that smirk and Dinah rolled her eyes.

“Fine Butchie you don’t have to tell me.” She laughed when he scowled at her, his lower lip sticking out like a child’s would. The walked past his home, Dinah could hear Ellen talking to someone inside. As she looked at the hallway where his apartment was she felt a tug on her arm to keep moving. “Does your mom have company?”

“Jonas has been stopping in more to check on her. Don’t tell Amata but I think something more is going on between them,” he shrugged and Dinah’s eyes grew wide.

“Really?”

“Who knows, it’s not my business.”

“Of course it is! That’s your mom!” Dinah turned back again to try to see if anyone had left.

“Well, I have other issues right now.”

“Vandalism?” Dinah adjusted her satchel and looked up at him, still short enough to need to tilt her head back. “What is the point?”

“Push buttons and see what we can get away with. I’m curious to see what he says tomorrow. Why the hell are all three of us due in at the same time?”

“Don’t know,” Dinah looked at her pipboy again. She had a good thirty minutes to get ready. “Want something to drink?” She opened her front door and looked around for a sign of her dad. As usual he was still at the clinic.

Butch followed her in, putting his jacket on the kitchen counter, and rummaging in her fridge. Dinah kicked off her boots and wiggled her toes, her feet sore. “Don’t make a mess,” she told him as she walked over to her door. “And if my dad shows up, you know, behave.” She smiled at the wink he shot her and closed her door behind her.

Quickly changing out of her clothing Dinah listened near her door to see what Butch was up to.

This wasn’t the first time he had been in her home, and while she was seventeen now she still had the fear of her father coming home and being mad about it.

James had come home early once last year to see Butch leaning against the counter talking to Dinah who had been at the fridge. He hadn’t been upset, but he obviously didn’t feel happy about it either. Something about his little girl turning into a woman. It had been a weird talk that had followed his small threatening goodbye to Butch. Then he saw her kiss Butch on his birthday, that had been a tense week.

Her father picked when he wanted to be a father and when he needed to be a doctor and she didn’t feel like a priority most of the time. Dinah wondered how different it would have been if her mother had lived.

Pulling on a different pair of boots, these were older and more worn in, Dinah leaned against her bed and looked up at the ceiling. The last year had been busy, and she was starting to miss school a little. She had been given the option to finish more classes before the official graduation but had passed as soon as she had the greenlight to work in the greenhouse.

Closing her eyes and inhaling deeply she contemplated telling Butch to just go without her and to just go to bed early. She was tired.

Though, she didn’t get to do this sort of thing often anymore either. Not that she made it a habit. That’s what she told herself every time she snuck out now. Tossing her pipboy on the bed Dinah pulled at her black shirt and made sure her jeans were zipped before she left her room. Butch was leaning on the counter, that was his seat when he was here, and tapping at a game on his pipboy. He looked up and nodded, tossing back the rest of his water, and grabbed his jacket.

“So, we are meeting at the atrium?” She tugged at the bottom of her shirt, nervous every time he stood this close to her. He was currently crowding her as he put on his jacket, his hair curling a little as the gel had dried up. He was grabbed a comb from his pocket when she reached up and tugged on the stray curl on his forehead. “Why don’t you just cut this?”

“You like it, right?” He was joking with her, she knew that, but she liked the idea that he cared about her opinion.

“Come on, lets get out before they are actively looking for people breaking curfew.” She pulled on his arm and led him through the door.

The two snuck around corners, Butch making it a point to press up against her when he could as they waited for whoever was on patrol to pass them, until they arrived at the atrium.

“It’s creepy,” Dinah muttered to Butch as they looked up to the Overseers window and saw him facing away from the window. His outline was surrounded in light, making him seen otherworldly. “Do you think it’s like this in other vaults?”

Butch shrugged and flipped off the window as they ran across the atrium’s main floor. “Who knows. For all we know this is the only vault that made it.”

“I’m sure he knows.” Dinah bit her lip. “Don’t you wonder?”

“All the time, but it doesn’t help.” He shrugged. “I leave the worrying to you,” he ran his hand along her back and Dinah swatted at him nervously. Chuckling to himself he slid down the wall, they were positioned behind a pillar leading to a stairwell and kicked his thick boots against the floor.

“So,” Dinah looked at the time on his pipboy as she leaned against the pillar by him. “We are a little late, do you think they headed down without us?”

Butch laughed, his left hand touching her ankle until she kicked at him. “They wouldn’t leave their leader here.”

Dinah arched a brow and squatted down next to him. “So,” she bit her lip and debated her question.

Turning to her, he arched an eye brow and waited.

“Well,” she ran a hand through her hair, having removed the band when he had pulled on it when they snuck around. Sighing she sat down fully next to him, her knees hitting his legs. “I noticed they outright avoid me.” She looked him in the eye as she waited for his response.

“And?”

“Well, what did you say to them?”

“To leave you alone.”

“Why?”

Butch sighed, his loose curl shifting on his forehead as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “What do you think Dinah?”

“I don’t know what to think, Butch. That’s why I’m asking you.” She tugged on her sleeves, nervous as he opened his eyes to look at her. He really was attractive when he made any effort and it flustered her. He reached out, his bruised knuckles still red and slightly swollen, and grabbed the front of her shirt to pull her closer. His lips ghosted over her own lightly for a brief moment before he pulled her in the rest of the way to apply a little more force.

This was not the place for the conversation she wanted to have, or his response to it. But, they were seventeen and hormones reign supreme.

She responded instantly to him, her lips moving against his own as he pulled her into his lap. Her hands raised to rest against his chest, her fingers digging into the leather of his jacket when she did this. He pulled back just a little and let his lips trail along her jaw so they rubbed against her ear when he spoke. “I think that you’re my girl and I don’t want trouble for you,” his teeth tugged on her earlobe and she shivered at the sensation. “So, I told them to back the fuck off,” his nose bumped against her jaw as he moved along back to her mouth. Dinah opened her mouth this time with no hesitation, his tongue running along her own gently, his hands now tugging on her hair. One was just holding the back of her head while the other cupped the side of her face. When he pulled back a moment later he kissed her jaw and pulled at her hair to tilt her head back. He ran his lips over her neck and she could hear him chuckle when she swallowed.

He sat back, after a minute of this, his eyes dark and an obvious problem having formed in his pants. “I guess,” she swallowed as she shifted against him, “that that is an answer.” She smiled when he groaned into her neck as she shifted again. “We do need to really talk about this though,” she said as she sat back, her hands sliding down his chest to rest on her thighs.

“Fuck,” he muttered when she moved again, his hands resting on her hips torn between pulling her closer and pushing her off. “You always wanna talk,” he muttered as he leaned forward to kiss her again. Dinah smiled against his lips causing him to pull back. “Fine, but not tonight.” He thrust up against her and it was her turn to tilt her head back and groan. He let her stand, his hands lingering on her as he followed her up.

He was adjusting his pants when Freddy ran across the atrium with Susie and Paul behind him. “Sorry, we almost got caught by my dad. I forgot he had the upper floors tonight.” Freddy was red in the face from the run and Susie and Paul looked winded too. “Wally is already downstairs apparently, with Christine.” Dinah nodded to Susie, who smiled brightly at her. It was a little obvious that Dinah and Butch had been up to something as Dinah had a few splotches on her neck and Butch just looked downright irritated.

“Let’s go then,” Susie said tugging on Paul, whom she had started to actively date.

The group rushed down the stairs and rounded the corners quickly. As they approached the reactor they all slowed, memories of two years ago flooding them all. Floyd was usually the overnight worker, so they all looked into the wide-open windows for a sign of him. When they didn’t’ see him, they rushed around and headed towards the dark hallway with the broken doors and the signs posted everywhere to keep out.

The halls had flickering lights and an unnerving feeling washed over Dinah. She reached out and grabbed Butch’s arm, thankful for the dark so it didn’t draw too much attention to them. He moved his arm so his hand slid into hers and she felt her stomach flutter a little.

As they walked down the halls Paul and Freddy turned on their pipboys lights, Dinah and Susie having left theirs, and Butch tapped into his with his free hand, Dinah holding the hand that had the pipboy on it. “Wally said to go to the third door,” Butch muttered as he lowered his hands, his thumb rubbing against the top of her hand. When the group approached the door Butch went first, pushing it with his shoulder, the light inside flickered and as the group pilled in Susie and Dinah huddled together.

“Why was this a good idea?” Susie asked as she nudged Dinah. “Maybe we should do this another-“

Just then something fell from a crate in the corner, causing a loud bang to sound and the girls to screech. Paul and Freddy surged forward and pointed their lights just in time to see Butch’s fist connect with Wally’s laughing face.

Wally fell to the floor, blood flowing from his nose and curses from his mouth. “Fuck, man!” Wally held his nose and pulled his hands back, blood falling onto the floor. “It was a joke!” Dinah surged forward, her instincts kicking in and inspected his nose. Butch, behind her, shook out his hand with a curse of his own.

“Fuck you man, why did you do that?” He winced and looked at his own hand, having used the bruised one. Blood covered his hand to his wrist but Dinah assumed it was Wally’s and not Butch’s. Dinah felt Wally’s nose and sighed, she would need to reset it.

“This is going to hurt Wally,” she muttered, “but it’ll feel better after I’m done.” Pressing her fingers on both sides she used her thumbs to pop it back into place. Wally pulled back, his eyes rolling back slightly from the pain, and held his face. “Sorry,” she mumbled, though she still didn’t like him she didn’t wish pain on anyone. Wally was pale and avoided looking at her as he turned away and gently touched his face.

As Wally was being inspected by Christine and Paul, Freddy and Dinah were looking at Butch’s hand. Taking it in her own she ran her thumb over his knuckles and sighed. “Luckily this isn’t your blood,” she said as she looked over her shoulder at Wally who was milking the pain for the attention. “You defiantly need to ice this tonight,” she looked up at Butch with a stern face. “No excuses,” she told him.

“Yes ma’am,” he was smirking and Freddy had the grace to look away as the two observed each other.

After the group settled down, a good ten minutes of the boys bickering, they started to explore the area.

Signs were posted on most doors stating that construction as going on, and in some rooms, they had huge lights so that they didn’t need their pipboys to look around.

Most of the rooms reminded Dinah of what they already had, just less ware on most of them. A few rooms had newer furnishings then Dinah had seen, the beds without scratches and cuts and the carpet vibrant colors. Most of the apartments had actual bathrooms in them, currently they all used communal ones.

As the group met back up in the main hallway they all had the same idea. “They think we are gonna fuck like rabbits.” Wally said with a scowl. “Why else did they have all these rooms set up. They need a population boom and,” he gestured between everyone, “we are the viable candidates.”

“Or we can open the doors,” Susie said, a bright blush on her face. “Don’t make assumptions, Wally.” She hissed at him, her eyes sliding to Paul.

“Doubt the old man would let that happen.” Butch said as he rubbed his jaw. “They defiantly are planning something though, that is a lot of space they are opening up. More then we need, for sure.”

“Do you think Amata would know?” Susie asked the group. Christine and Dinah seemed to think on it and the boys waited.

“Maybe, I mean they are having more and more meetings, right? Didn’t she say her dad has been putting more on her plate and letting her in on more. She has more she has to keep secret from us now.” Dinah replied.

“She has been a little more closed off,” Christine said. “When we grab lunch she only talks about the clinic, but we all know she is taking on more for her dad.” Her eyes slid to Dinah.

“I don’t know anything,” she held up her hands in defense. “I don’t pry, I know she can’t tell me everything.”

“Well,” Wally and Paul shared a look. “Maybe you should?” Paul asked. “I mean, she is going to be our Overseer someday. All that shit they teach us in school about blind trust? I don’t like it. We need to be involved more,” he looked at Butch who was eyeing the hallway.

Butch surveyed the group. “Maybe we have the wrong idea? Either way, we need to talk to Amata first.” His eyes landed on Dinah, they all knew it would be her to do it.

Dinah’s shoulders sagged. “Fine but let’s wait till after graduation this week. I’ll see if my dad knows anything too, they work so close together now.” They all nodded.

Walking back the groups branched out, Susie and Wally going with Freddy to their hallway and Paul and Christine going another. Dinah and Butch snuck around the stairwell and got to their floor without any issues.

When they had passed the atrium, they had noticed Alphonse was no longer at the window.

As they rounded the corner to Butch’s home he reached out and pulled her towards his door. “Hey,” he muttered as they slid into his apartment. His mother was snoring gently from her room, and Dinah smiled at how clean their house was being kept now. “No pressure,” he muttered as he walked to his room, Dinah following. “But you do need to talk to Amata as soon as possible.”

“I know,” she pulled her sleeves down and looked away. “I just, feel bad. Like I’m abusing our relationship.”

Butch nodded, making sure his mother was still snoring, before pulling her up to him and kissing her.

She smiled as he pulled back, her hands reaching out to grab his jacket. “Look,” he mumbled as he leaned in again. “If anyone else could do it we would ask them. But you two, you have a bond the rest of us don’t have.” He shrugged off his jacket and sat at the small desk in his room.

As Dinah surveyed the room she noticed a lot of things, mainly that he didn’t own a lot of stuff. Other then the BB Gun she had given him, which he should be hiding not leaving out, she didn’t see many personal affects in the room. He had a few magazines on his desk and a terminal covered in dust he didn’t use.

“I’ll do it,” she told him as she took his bloody hand again. “Does this hurt?”

“Just a constant throbbing,” he muttered as his fingers spread out to grab her own. She smiled but tugged him up, noticing blood spots on his shirt.

“How often do you guys fight?” She asked as she poked her head around the corner to grab an icepack from his fridge. When she returned he seemed to be thinking on his answer.

“Once a week or so? Need to be ready.”

“For what?” She pressed the pack to a towel she had grabbed and placed it on his hand. “Ice it overnight, then stop in to get it looked at tomorrow.” She looked up at him. “Okay?”

“Fine,” he mumbled as he rolled his eyes.

“So,” she bit her lip. “When can we have that talk?”

“Which one?”

She swatted at his shoulder and glared at him. “If you want to kiss me again we are going to talk.”

He smirked and leaned down to try to kiss her but she stepped back. Sighing he sat down in his desk chair. “I told you, you’re my girl.”

“Butch,” she grumbled, unhappy with that response.

“I don’t know Dinah, what do you want?”

“I,” she was taken aback. What did she want? She was pretty happy with how things were but did she want more? Especially if they were pushing for the kids to get married and have kids of their own she would need to decide soon. Her options were pitiful but she liked Butch so why not him? “I like you,” she told him nervously. “Sometimes you treat me like crap though,” she told him as she started to wring her hands.

“When was the last time I did that?”

“Butch,” she sighed. “Sometimes you don’t even acknowledge me in the halls. Occasionally you still trip me when I walk by.”

“So?”

“That gives me mixed signals. I can’t tell if you like me or not some days. Yes, you told the other guys to back off, but then you go and make jokes about me when you guys hang out in public.” She furrowed her brow. “I need you to either be nice to me or don’t.” She sighed and tilted her head. “I want someone I can rely on,” she told him as she stepped forward, her knees hitting his. “What do you want?”

“Honestly?” He had that smile and she knew he was about to say something stupid. She waited, her hands clinched together but he kept quiet as he seemed to think on it, the smile fading.

“You.”

“What?” She leaned back, but his hands reached out and pulled her forward so he was looking up at her.

“I just want you?” He looked confused as well.

“Well,” she tucked hair behind her ear. “That’s something to think about isn’t it?”

Butch nodded, his eyebrows scrunched together and he appeared to be thinking hard.

“I should go,” she told him as she started to pull away. He sat up quickly, the chair squeaking as it adjusted to the lack of weight. His hands stayed on her hips, and he looked nervous. “Goodnight?”

“I can walk you to your door,” he offered quickly but she just shook her head.

“I’ll be okay,” she told him with a smile. “You’ll see me tomorrow but, uh, think about what you want okay?”

“You too,” he replied. When she went to pull away he followed, his hands moving to rest on her back. Leaning forward, and hesitating to make sure she wouldn’t pull away, he kissed her again. When she responded he pushed her back until she hit his door and his hands moved, one to rest by her face against the wall, and the other to bury itself in her hair.

Dinah kissed him back and realized how much better he had gotten at this over the years. She could still remember her first kiss with him back when they were fifteen after class. Sloppy but nice. Wet but firm.

Now he moved with a purpose, his lips moving against hers in a way that left her wanting more. His tongue ran along her lip and she moaned as he pushed against her, his knee resting between her thighs. A heat throbbed inside her and she felt a pulse in her stomach that made her want to rub against him. She felt filthy and she desperately wanted more. She moved one hand into his hair, smiling when he moaned as she tugged at it, and then the other pulled at his shirt to rest against his bare skin.

She didn’t get to see him at his check ups anymore, but he seemed to try to find ways to take off his shirt around her more. When he would visit the greenhouse, he would wait a good five minutes before he removed it and tossed it on a table. She returned the favor by wearing shorts and a tank top.

As her fingers pushed against his stomach, making their way up towards his upper chest, she felt him flinch as she found the scar on his stomach. When she had asked him about it a few years back he had told her it was from his father. No other follow-up was needed.

His hand from her hair moved to her neck with his thumb against her chin and he pushing her head back so he could kiss her deeper. After that his hand slid down to rest just atop her collarbone. While he didn’t apply pressure, he did know she liked the feeling of weight against her there, and she rubbed her core against his leg with a moan in response.

His lips drifted to her chin, then her jaw, and finally right below her ear. “I only know one thing,” he breathed against her ear as he moved his knee away and moved himself between her thighs. His hand from the wall moved to her hip and he pushed against her, hissing. “I don’t want to stop doing this,” he licked from her ear to her neck and smirked when she whimpered. Her hands were both in his shirt now, it was bunched up around his midsection as she gripped at him, her nails running along his sides. “With you.”

His lips landed on her pulse point at her neck and he sucked on it as he thrust against her heat. One of her hands reached out and held onto his shoulder as she returned the action, pushing herself against him. The burning sensation was overtaking her and she knew if they kept this up she would get off.

This wasn’t the first time they had done this.

Their first time doing this was right after her birthday, she had decided to confront him about his gift. When asked about it he had responded with, oh you didn’t understand? And pushed her against a wall and they both found releases that day.

His hand from her hip moved forward, undoing the button on her jeans and sliding into her underwear. As he found her heat he dipped a finger in and groaned at her wetness. “That’s for me?” He knew the answer and it made her feel filthy when he spoke like that. He always sounded startled when they were doing these sorts of things. In awe.

She thrust against his fingers, his thumb finding her clit and pressing against it. Her mouth sought his, her hands moving to his pants to try to unbutton them. He thrust against her hand as she slid it in to feel his length and he groaned her name into her neck as she pumped him a few times clumsily.

He rubbed her clit harder, his breath hot on her neck. “Fuck baby,” he moaned out before he hissed. “Want me to cum? Keep doing that,” he told her as he pushed his hips forward into her hand.

Dinah had her head thrown back and was panting as she canted her hips against his hand. “Butch,” she breathed out causing him to groan against her again. His teeth bit into her shoulder as he pulled his hand out of her pants, making her groan in protest, and gripped her by the ass as he thrust against her. Her hand came away from him, gripped both arms as she copied his actions and pressed herself against him. He was lifting her off the ground, her legs moving to wrap around his hips, and the both panted against the other.

Dinah was first to finish, he had pushed his pants down to his thighs and she gripped him with her nails digging into skin as she tried to keep quiet. Her teeth dug into her lip as she felt the euphoria wash over her, her breath catching in her chest as she arched away from the door into him. His mouth found her breast through her shirt and she felt a wetness on her thighs that meant he had followed her.

They both tried to catch their breaths, he had leaned forward so she was pressed between his chest and the door. He leaned his head forward, his lips lazily running over her own. “Sorry,” he muttered when he pulled back. “I really didn’t mean to do this,” he was running a hand through his hair as he lowered her to the floor. Dinah adjusted her pants knowing she would need to clean up before she got into bed tonight. He did the same, the sound of his buckle clicking making her look up.

“I enjoyed it,” she told him with a shy smile.

He smiled back, kissing her forehead. “I can still walk you back,” he told her as he leaned against the wall by her, catching his breath.

“No, I think especially looking the way I probably do,” she pat at her hair as she said this, “I shouldn’t have you anywhere near me.” He smirked and leaned his back against the wall with a long sigh.

“See you tomorrow then?”

“Yeah,” with that she walked out the door and rushed to her apartment.

 

* * *

 

The next day was a blur, anxiety about her meeting with Alphonse taking precedence over everything else.

She recalled having lunch with her dad and Jonas, and explaining the rash on her neck, but other than that she was in the lab making stimpaks.

Around 4PM her pipboy made a noise at her reminding her of her meeting. Taking off the lab coat and insuring her vault suit was presentable she started to walk towards the atrium. As she went she passed Wally in the hall, his nose swollen and busied. He nodded to her but continued on, following behind Officer Gomez as he pointed out wiring issues in the hallway. She nodded back.

As she came to the atrium Dinah looked up to see Alphonse looking out of his window. She couldn’t tell, but it looked like he had just tipped his head at her.

Amata sat at a table to the side, reading over a book. Dinah sat at the vacant chair to her left and looked at the book. Leadership in the Vault.

“So,” Dinah started watching as Amata jumped, surprised. “How have the meetings gone?”

Amata bit her lip and looked up at the window, seeing her father watching. “It’s been, interesting.” She closed the book, her fingers digging into the binding. “Are you ready?”

“I don’t know what to expect so how do I prepare?”

Amata nodded in understanding. “This isn’t like any meeting you’ll ever go to so, just listen first then speak. Do you know where Butch is? I really need him to do the same.”

Dinah tilted her head. “I haven’t seen him all day, but he had the same reminder on his pipboy that I did.” She looked around, only seeing a few random people milling about. “He does need to be calm though, he is usually at full tilt when it comes to your dad.”

Amata nodded in agreement. “I really want to ask about the two of you but I feel like that’s a longer conversation,” she eyed her pipboy. “And we don’t have the time just this moment for it.” Sighing she stood up and tucked the book under her arm. “I’m going to go in first, wait ten minutes then head on up okay? When Butch shows up,” she closed her eyes and sighed, “try to convince him to behave.” Amata turned and headed towards the stairs leading up to the Overseers Office. Dinah noticed Alphonse turn away as he saw his daughter approach, moving into the office further away from the window.

A minute before she needed to leave Butch showed up, plopping down in the chair by her looking tired.

“Hey,” she said with a small wave. He nodded and looked up at the window. “Amata had some advice for us,” she said tucking her hair away. Reaching forward she fixed the collar on his suit. “Listen first, then speak. I don’t know why or what she means. Other then the obvious.”

Sighing Butch popped the collar of his jacket and Dinah reached forward to fix it. He smirked at her as he did it again when she moved back and Dinah rolled her eyes at him. “I talked to Freddy about his meeting,” Butch said as he rubbed his throat. Dinah couldn’t help but notice a bruise on his neck and she blushed. “I get being quiet until he’s done.”

“Well?”

“We may not have the same topic as Freddy so,” he shrugged. “Let’s go see.”

Dinah followed him closely, tugging on her sleeves. As the walked the stairs she tried to calm her nerves, not sure what to expect. She had asked her dad what his meeting had been like after school but he said they didn’t have them back then. Jonas said his was about priorities of the vault.

She desperately wanted to know why her dad didn’t like to talk about the vault before she was born.

As the reached the last set of stairs Butch stopped and Dinah bumped into him. As she was about to ask what had stopped him he spun around, grabbed her face, and he kissed her.

When he pulled back she noticed his shoulders were less tense and he took in a deep breath. “Ready?”

She nodded, her bright blue eyes wide but her nerves had calmed a little.

Though, what made Butch so nervous?

As they walked into the room she took the seat on the right, Butch took the one on the left. Alphonse sat on the other side of his desk, a clipboard with their names written at the top on the table. She noticed small writing under their names and wondered what it said. Amata stood besides her father, her hands folded in front of herself, nervous. She looked very serious but she cracked a small smile at Dinah as their eyes met.

“Well,” Alphonse stood slowly, Dinah noticed his slouch and wondered if he was having back problems. He had complained in the past to her father about them, but she didn’t remember him every coming into the clinic for treatment.

Dinah had her hands clasped together in her lap, her fingers moving constantly. Butch was slouched back in his chair, his arm over the back with his legs crossed and one-foot bouncing.

“As you know, graduation is in a few days,” Alphonse picked up his clipboard and seemed to read it. When he looked back at Amata she nodded at him, biting her lip nervously. “I want to make sure you are all set in your fields of study.” He put the clipboard down, upside down so Dinah couldn’t see it anymore. “As you know you are both very important to the prosperity of the vault.” Butch had tilted his head at that comment, his eyes sliding over to Amata. “You both are offering a service we haven’t had in a few generations. Dinah, I believe you will revolutionize our diets and health working in the lab and greenhouse. Butch, you are providing a service to people that they have had to offer themselves for a while now.” His hands were clasped behind his back. “I have noticed, though,” he turned his eyes on Butch, “a few inconsistencies in your loyalty to the vault.”

Dinah’s eyebrows shot up. Well, of course he had. Butch outright defaced the halls and posters. He actively flipped off Alphonse when he saw him. He wasn’t hiding it.

“And I have overlooked them to a point.” His eyes slid to Dinah then and she felt a fear wash over her. What had she done? “Everyone must give themselves to the vault, it should be the most important thing to them. Amata knows this, most of your class knows this.” He leaned back against the desk, having walked around to stand before them. “We will be opening new apartments this next year and we urge you to prepare for that. We are also offering incentives for you all to start families.” Dinah looked at Amata. “Now, I can’t make anyone do anything, but there is always something we can do to help each other out. Just consider it.” Butch had relaxed further into his chair, his face covered in a wide toothy grin. “Not everyone is compatible but, we encourage you all to attempt to make it work. Finally,” he pulled the clipboard to himself. “We also have a task for your class,” his eyes landed on Butch, “as we open up more and more of the lost locations in the vault we are finding more and more. We need you all to step up and help us sort it all out. The volunteer office will have new jobs more suited for the person working.” As he put the board down he turned to Amata. “Amata has come up with these ideas, opening up floors and clearing them out. She said you inspired her Dinah. That being said, I will be stepping down as Overseer next year.” Dinah’s eyes widened and Butch sat up at this. “I need a good support team for my daughter and I believe you both have great potential to help her make the right choices.”

Dinah had tugged her sleeves to the point that they were stretched out. “Um , sir?” She was eyeing Amata who was bright red in the face.

“Amata will be leaving the clinic after the month and moving into the Overseer position full time while we transition. She is still young and, frankly, this will cause issues with some older residents. So, we will also be starting an Elders Program, where senior members of our community can gather to help guide her, I will of course be amongst them.”

“Why are you stepping down?” She asked nervously.

“Age is a cruel mistress.” He told them as they he moved to stand before his window. “Sooner is better than later in this case.” Dinah tilted her head confused, that sounded health related.

“What do you want from us?” Butch asked, sitting forward with his elbows on his knees.

“Loyalty,” he cleared his throat. “For now, we go on, like nothing is about to change. I will make the announcement at graduation in a few days. I will be planning to communicate with the two of you again soon about what we need to do moving forward.”

He had dismissed them and Amata moved her head to the side to tell them to leave. Dinah stood slowly, her fingers rubbing the fabric of her suit roughly, and followed Butch out.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the second half! :) I hope you all enjoy.

Graduation had been odd. In previous years when they had attended it had been a happy event, families excited and kids embracing their futures. This year, as soon as Alphonse made his announcement, it had gone silent. People had politely clapped when he passed out the ‘vault degrees’.

 

Her father and Jonas had quickly rushed off, after congratulating her and promising dinner soon. Her father looked excited, his face brighter then she had seen it in years. She planned on reaching out soon to try to get him to talk.

 

Ellen had hugged her son and cried a little, telling him she was proud. She had been sober for over a year now, not touching a beer even. Butch had actually hugged her publicly and smiled.

 

The group had now gathered in the cafeteria for dinner, something that should have been joyful felt wrong now. Butch sat next to Dinah near the end, his arm on the back of her chair as he leaned forward to eat a lot of her food. Amata had turned in with her father, something Dinah expected would be normal now, so the group was talking openly about what this meant.

 

“He’s spending so much time with her now,” Christine said to them with a worried expression.

 

“Dinah?” The group looked up at her but she was biting her lip.

 

“All I know is that she is taking this very seriously. As of the other day she still wanted to open the door. I think the plans of expansion go along with this as well.” Rubbing her palms on her knees she looked around at the group.  “What have your families said?”

 

“Dad is _not_ on board with her taking over so soon,” Freddy said as he leaned back and crossed his arms.

 

“Neither is ours,” Susie said as she gestured at Wally.

 

“My mom could honestly care less,” Butch said as he leaned towards Dinah, his hand on her lower back. “But that isn’t the point. We _need_ to talk to her first. Did everyone have the same meeting the other day?”

 

“About loyalty?” Dinah asked them. Susie and Wally nodded but Paul and Christine looked confused.

 

“Ours was about doing our jobs well and sacrifice.” Christine said. “What was yours about?”

 

“He told me to have kids as soon as possible,” Freddy said with a bright blush. “Sat me down next to Amata and heavily hinted that it be with her,” he cleared his throat. “It was awkward.”

 

“I bet,” Dinah sighed and leaned back. “Let’s meet again on Sunday? Maybe we can do this regularly on Sundays. We are _the future of the vault_ as they all have been saying since we were babies.”

 

“Well what about that _expansion thing?_ ” Susie said. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it, I asked some upperclassmen and they thought I was lying.”

 

“Everyone should talk with their families and Dinah,” Butch looked at her, “really try to talk to Amata about all this.” The group all nodded to one another and began to depart.

 

Leaning into his shoulder Dinah whispered to him. “Do you think we should be worried?”

 

“It’s Amata.” He shrugged. “She’s going to be spending more and more time with that man. Who knows what she will start to think like? And he told us her idea was inspired by us, it’s not _bad._ ”

 

Dinah sighed, looking around the room to see that they were alone. “Well, I trust her. Will you walk me to the greenhouse?”  


“Not home?” He was standing up, adjusting his jacket as he looked down at her.

 

“Nah, I’ve wanted to do more work and honestly I think they security doesn’t monitor over there very much.”

 

“Well, come on then.” He started walking, Dinah bolting up to rush after him.

 

“Are you happy with the barber shop?” She asked as they rounded the corner to go down the steps. In one more year the curfew wouldn’t affect them the way it did now.

 

“It’s alright,” he ran a hand through his hair. “I get bored. I’ve been thinking of just taking my scissors around and offering cuts to people I see. Maybe talking to _teach_ and seeing if he wants me to cut the kids hair.”

 

“In class?”

 

“Why not?” He shrugged, his hands tucked into his pockets. “It’ll help me reach out to future Snakes too,” he smiled at that.

 

“Future Snakes?” She pouted. “If Amata takes over as Overseer do you guys even serve a purpose anymore?”

 

“I’ve thought about that,” he eyed her. “Everyone needs to be kept in their place. Who’s to say she won’t turn into a tyrant like our current one?”

 

“Tyrant? I wouldn’t call him that.” She pushed against the side of the doorway and opened it up so they could slide inside the greenhouse. The doors all had giant windows in them that were dusty from years of misuse, but it was the lights inside that actually gave off the artificial light that it needed. As they walked in she turned to say goodbye.

 

He was standing close to her, almost pushing her in against a table. His hands came up to rest on the edges, officially closing her in. Leaning forward he pressed the side of his face to her own, cheek to cheek, and muttered to her, “want some company?”

 

Dinah felt her stomach drop, but not from fear. She put her hands down, they had raised up in defense, and let one rest atop his to her right and the other hung loosely at her left. He smelled rather good, something she noticed constantly, and as always, his hair was perfect. “Is that a proposition Mr. DeLoria?” She was smiling, nervous.

 

“Do you want it to be?”

 

She felt her stomach tighten, she didn’t know how to explain the sensation as it rushed from her chest down to her knees. Licking her lips, and flinching a little as he leaned in, she reminded herself that they _had_ been physical before but never with this much light.

 

His eyes were very dark, which they were to begin with, but she felt herself get drawn in and she made the move and kissed him. He muttered against her, his uncovered hand resting on her hip as he pulled her flush to him. His lips moved against her own, his hand applying pressure to her hip and her hands both moved to his jacket, tugging on it to make him bend down more.

 

She was constantly reminded of how much taller he was then her.

 

When she pulled away, after a moment, she laughed to herself. “I really did come here to work,” she told him. He leaned forward, his nose nudging hers.

 

“I did too,” he was smirking and she swatted his arm. “You like it,” he leaned it and kissed her again and she melted as he bit her lower lip. “You like a little force,” he mumbled his hand going to her zipper and pulling it down halfway. He reached in and he squeezed roughly at her breast as he arched his hips towards her. Dinah chewed her lip, her hands holding tightly to his jacket. As he thrust into her again she pushed his jacket off his shoulders and smiled to herself when he let it fall to the floor with a loud thud.

 

“How do you not sweat all the time?” She asked when he pulled away to let her take her pipboy off. She looked around and nodded her head at the button by the wall. “Hey, can you hit that? It turns the lights off but keeps the heat on, top button not bottom.” He arched a brow when he looked back and shook his head ‘no’. She was working on taking her arms out of the sleeves.

 

“I want to see you.” She turned red and he laughed. “I like your reactions.” He brought his hand up to her cheek again and kissed her gently. He stepped back up to her and ran his other hand up her ribs to her bra. She shivered and moaned as his hand slipped under the cup and he smiled against her lips. “How does it feel?”

 

“Good,” she muttered, her eyes closed. He scoffed and his hand from her cheek gripped her chin making her eyes open.

 

“ _How does it feel?”_ He ground against her again and her eyes fluttered as she moaned. She could _feel him._

 

“Burning,” she panted as he pulled his zipper down on his suit and pulled his arms out, his pipboy falling to the floor with his jacket. She ran her hands along his chest, his shirt bunching as she moved them up. Dinah bit her lip as he let her touch all the plains of his body, smiling down at her. “You make me feel like I’m burning, drowning, floating,” she laughed. “I can’t figure out what it is,” she looked up at him and he dipped his head down quickly. Her mouth opened quickly to him, his tongue rubbing her own, his hands in her hair. She moaned as he pushed his suit down lower and she worked her own down to her knees. She was attempting to get her boots off when he lifted her from the floor onto the table, her hands falling behind her to brace herself and landing in the dirt of one of the trays she had cleared out for some carrots.

 

She shook her hand to free it from the loose dirt and she felt her boots fall off her feet and land on the floor. Watching him she grew more flushed, the red running down her chest, as he worked her legs out of her suit and she realized just how bare she was to him. She was only in her bra and underwear at this point and he looked beyond pleased.

 

“Butch,” she muttered when he stood, her body feeling heated from all the lamps and attention. “What are you planning?” He smirked and she kicked her foot at his chest sending him back slightly.

 

“Just enjoy yourself,” he muttered rubbing at his chest pretending it hurt. Moving back towards her he ran his hands along her thighs and leaned towards her with that crooked smile that made her heart flutter. She pushed forward a little and kissed him gently, jumping slightly when his hands moved to her knees and pulled her closer to the edge of the table, towards him. His lips moved along her jaw again and stopped at her ear. “You know you will,” she huffed a laugh at the cockiness of his statement.

 

His hands, still hooked on her knees, held steady when he suddenly dropped down to his knees at the edge of the table and her eyes grew wide. His left hand moved forward and pulled her underwear to the side enough to slid his fingers inside, rubbing against her. She hissed as he pushed against her, making that sound he did like he found it fascinating.

 

“God, baby,” he muttered his breath hot on her thigh. “I do this to ya?” She didn’t need to answer that. Her hips kept lifting from the table so his free hand pushed down on the junction on her hip and thigh to keep her steady. “How often? Do you just walk around ready for me?” She moaned at his words and one of her hands reached out to rest on his head. He chuckled, his lips running lazily along her thigh.

 

As a finger slid into her she tossed her head back, her hair loose around her hips, and she muttered his name. Her wetness had made her underwear stick to her core and he was pulling it down now, having moved his fingers out momentarily.. He moved his finger back into her, his breath hot against her. He pushed her legs up, her heals on the edge of the table, to spread her wider and she almost yelled out when she felt his mouth cover her clit. Instead she let out a gasp and sat up straighter.

 

His tongue applied pressure and she quickly added her other hand to his head to hold him in place as the pleasure she felt increased. He hummed something against her, his fingers speeding up as he added a second, and he sucked gently on her. He pulled his lips away enough to kiss her thigh and she opened her eyes to find him watching her. As soon as their eyes connected he leaned back in, keeping the contact as he sucked harder. “ _Fuck,_ ” she muttered and that caused him to moan against her.

 

So, he liked when she swore.

 

“Mm,” she licked her lips as she pushed against his mouth, “You did this to me,” she told him. “Any time you look at me with that _face._ ” She laughed out and it turned to a moan. “I love it,” she mumbled.

 

She tossed her head back, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth as she came. Her hips arched into him, his hand doing nothing to hold her down anymore. Her hand in his hair pulled at it sharply but that only spurred him on to continue until she was begging him to stop. When he pulled away she fell back on her arms, a dazed look in her eyes.

 

“So, you love it huh?” She hated giving him a reason to be cocky, but he deserved it this time. She smiled sweetly at him, her chest still rising quickly as she caught her breath. He was pushing his shirt off over his head, sweat having soaked part of it from the heat in the room. “Well, I might as well,” he ran a hand through his hair and she pushed her bare foot against his bare chest with a laugh. Pushing herself up so she was sitting on the edge she watched as he took off his boots and placed them next to her own. She noticed that he had placed her clothes in a neat pile by her boots and she laughed a little. He looked up at her as he worked himself out of the legs of his suit, adding it in the neat pile as well.

 

She slid of the table her feet feeling the dirt from the floor rub into her clean feet and she felt _invigorated_ by it. Licking her lips, she reached forward, her hand sliding over the bulge showing obviously in his white underwear. “Want some help,” she asked him quietly. He groaned, his head tipping back slightly and his hips jerking involuntarily towards her. “You seem open to the idea,” she breathed against his neck, feeling a confidence take over as she spoke. “Do you just walk around ready for me?” She repeated his question from earlier and smiled when he opened his eyes to look at her.

 

“Come on, baby,” he muttered, his hands burying in her hair as his lips crushed into her own. His mouth tasted a little bit saltier to her, and his tongue was more forceful then before. She slid her hand into his underwear running her fingers gently against him. He groaned against her mouth, his hands pulling on her hair. “Want to put that mouth to better use?” He whispered, his voice growing soft, pleading.

 

Biting her lip Dinah dropped to her knees and pulled his underwear down and set them to the side by their clothing. She could feel the dirt on the floor dig into her knees as she took his length in her hands. He placed one hand on the edge of the table, gripping it roughly, and the other in he hair, tugging on her hair. Watching him as she pumped him a few times she marveled at the way his face looked pained, though she knew he was enjoying it.

 

Leaning forward, his hand relaxing in her hair, she ran her tongue along him, her hands still pumping him. “ _Fuck,_ ” he hissed as she slowly took the tip into her mouth. Watching him still, she slowly sucked on him, working her hands gently afraid to hurt him. “A little more pressure baby,” he muttered. She squeezed a little tighter and he cursed again. “Not that much,” she relaxed and so did he.

 

His hand from the table moved to rest on her head and he thrust into her mouth a little, causing her to cough. “Sorry,” he mumbled as he pulled back but she quickly reached out to grab his thighs to stop him. Catching his eyes, she slowly took a little more in and he moaned loudly and the wet noise she made. “God _damn_ ,” he muttered as she stopped to pull back and take him back in, bobbing slowly.

 

She did it a few more times before he yanked her hair making her pull back and release his dick with a wet ‘pop’. Taking himself in his hand he stroked a few times and she leaned back, knowing he was going to cum. Dinah briefly thought of moving out of the way but she leaned in as he came, letting most of his spend land on her upper chest. As he panted above her she curiously took a little on her fingers and, insuring he was watching, tasted it.

 

“Baby, if I hadn’t just finish on you I would again,” he said as she dipped her fingers in a little more to lick it away.

 

“It doesn’t taste great,” she told him after she sucked her fingers clean. “Can you grab me a towel?” He looked around the room and saw them by her terminal. Moving over he wiped his hand off first then took it to her. Instead of making her clean it he gently cleaned her off and tossed the towel back at the desk.

 

She was blushing, as always after these things, and he reached out and kissed her slowly. “You’re beautiful,” he said when he pulled away. Bending to get his clothing he noticed her stiffly grabbing her clothing to put on. “What?”

 

Looking up she sighed. “We’re _seventeen_ , Butch.” She finished the laces on her shoes. “I like you, _a lot._ ”

 

“I get that, I’m pretty great.” He smirked and she reached out to push him with a laugh. “I like you too.”

 

“We keep getting more and more physical Butch.”

 

“Yeah, and I plan to keep going with that trend,” he laughed again as he shrugged on his jacket.

 

“Where do you see us going?”

 

“Dinah, you just said we were seventeen.” He sighed and leaned against the table she had just been on top of. “I like you, and I have for a _few years now._ It isn’t slowing down so,” he inspected his nails trying to look nonchalant. “I’ve said it a few times now, you’re _my girl_.”

 

“Butch,” Dinah exclaimed angrily. “What does that even mean?” She ran her hands through her hair and pulled it over her shoulder.

 

“It means exactly that,” he huffed. “You’re my girlfriend, I guess that’s what you’re looking for?” He walked up to her and pulled her in, kissing her forehead. “It’s pretty obvious I care about you, I get enough shit about it from the boys and haven’t stopped yet.”

 

“Oh,” she laughed as he kissed her again.

 

“So, stop asking these questions and stop doubting things.” He tapped her forehead with his finger. “That brain of yours thinks way too much.”

 

“Does not.”

 

“Now, what do you plan on doing tonight?”

 

“I was going to take some cuttings and try to propagate a few plants.” She smiled to herself as he took a seat at the terminal. “And you are going to log them for me.”

 

She laughed aloud at his groan.

 

* * *

  
 

She spent the next week catching up in the lab to meet her quota on Radaway, as the construction team kept needing them. Her father kept popping in throughout the week to tell her he needed to chat with her _soon_ but neither seemed to have the time. Butch would pop in once a day, after he closed up the shop, to check on her. Amata stopped by once too to ask how things were. It had been a short talk, and she had promised a longer talk soon.

 

As Sunday approached Dinah got ready to meet with the other people from her class. She was turning off the lights to the lab, locking up, when she bumped into her father. “Dad!” She smiled brightly, ready for the next 24 hours off the clock. She was allowed Monday off each week and she looked forward to it. She had planned to meet with Amata that day, so she needed to be sure to talk to everyone first.

 

“Dinah, I know you are on your way out but maybe we can take a moment to talk?”

 

“Oh, can I stop by after dinner?”

 

“No, we really need to talk. If we don’t I’m afraid we never will.” He grabbed her by the elbow, she had bare arms as she wore a short sleeve white shirt and dark jeans this Sunday. They were in the clinic shortly after, she had waved at Susie on her way saying she would be just a bit late, and she noticed Jonas was there as well.

 

“What’s going on?” She asked the two once her arm was free. She watched as her father locked the door and a feeling of dread filled her. “Jonas?” She looked at the older man but he just smiled at her.

 

“It’s going to be okay Dinah.” He gestured to the seat at the bed along the wall. She sat, her hands balled in her lap, as her father sat in the chair next to Jonas.

 

“What we will be talking about is not to leave this room Dinah.” His knee was bouncing nervously. “Jonas, I trust this man with my life and we are now going to have to trust you as well.”

 

“I’m your daughter.” She was confused. What could they possibly want to tell her. “You don’t trust me? With _what?”_ She was scratching at her jeans nervously.

 

“Dinah,” he sighed and ran a hand through his gray hair. “Over the years have you ever noticed something called Project Purity in the terminals around here?”

 

“Well, yes.” She scrunched her eyebrows together. “I figured it’s what they called the project you’ve worked on the last few years, medical records or something like that.”

 

Jonas sat forward to speak. “Its actually something your mother and father worked on up until your birth.”

 

“When mom died.” She watched her father, waiting. “What _is_ project purity?”

 

“We need to start with the wasteland, Jonas.” She watched as her father leaned in, his hands taking one of hers. “Dinah, you aren’t like everyone else here.”

 

She wanted to laugh at that. She was still young enough that he was constantly saying things like that, but this situation didn’t feel right.

 

“Why?” She asked. “You’ve always said that, but,” she pulled her hand away. “What do you need to tell me?”

 

“You weren’t born in the vault, sweetheart.”

 

* * *

  
 

Dinah had spaced out after they let her leave. She had stood in the hallway for a few moments before Jonas popped out to check on her. “It’ll be okay, Dinah. You needed to be ready, especially if Alphonse is going to get the elders together. We had a chance with Amata but not if he still has sway.”

“I’ll be okay,” she knew she would. She just needed to process what she had learned.

 

Her entire life had been a lie. She wasn’t born in the vault, there was life outside these doors and no one knew. She was born out amongst death and decay. If her mother had lived they would have kept her out there?

 

Or, her greater fear, they would have left her in the vault for _safety?_

 

If Alphonse hadn’t planned to put the elders together would her father even have told her about this. He had told her he planned on escape eventually, so would he have left her here? Would she have woken one morning for find him gone with more questions then answers? She couldn’t see the Overseer being nice about that.

 

“Hey,” she jumped as Butch approached her, his head cocked to the side. “We’ve been waiting on you.” He stopped in front of her, noticing her pale face. “What happened?”

 

_You can’t tell him._

 

“I,” she stammered. “I’m sorry, I needed to,” she closed her eyes to breath. “I had to talk to my dad.”

 

“That doesn’t explain why you look,” he gestured with his hand at her face, “like something awful just happened.”

 

She was looking up at him, her eyes wide as she realized she may have never met Butch in another life. “Butch,” she reached out and took his hand. What would the others think if they _knew_ that there was life outside, that people survived and were living their lives out there. She should tell them, but not yet. She needed to get her thoughts together, she needed to be calm. After Amata took over, yes. She would tell Amata, surely that was the right choice? They were meeting tomorrow to talk, maybe this could be the topic.

 

He was bending over, his lips ghosting over her forehead. “Come on, after diner we can talk.”

 

She followed him into the room, he had dropped her hand just before they walked through the door. Sitting down in the empty seat by Susie she watched Butch sit down the table by Freddy.

 

“So, Dinah, we were talking about what we need to speak to Amata about. The door sounds like a good unified option.” Susie told her.

 

Dinah didn’t feel right. Like she was looking in on something she should be a part of. “I agree.” She finally said. Susie nodded, the rest did as well. “When do we tell them?” Maybe if they could get the door open she wouldn’t need to carry this burden by herself.

 

“We were thinking you could talk to her soon. Founders day is coming up and usually there is a big announcement then. We think we should help pick a team to go out and return, but in the end, we know the Overseer has final say. Either way that door needs to open” Susie waved her hands for silence as Andy floated by muttering about stains.

 

Dinah nodded, her eyes drifting along the table. Grabbing a sweetroll she took a small bite. “We should come up with our own team anyway. People _we_ trust.” She said as she continued to look down. When she finally did look up she realized they were all nodding. “People who _won’t_ lie to us.”

 

“I agree,” Butch said from his side, his arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair. “Like Dinah’s Dad?”

 

“No,” she said quickly. “I mean, well, he’s the doctor. He isn’t worth the risk.” If he got out he wouldn’t return and she knew this.

 

“Well, what if we make a list?” Wally asked. “We can all come forward with ideas next week and figure out who we think.”

 

_It doesn’t matter,_ she told herself. Alphonse is sitting on this huge secret, he won’t let anyone out. They need to think they need him. While they could bring up the door she didn’t think he would open it. He wanted them to think they needed him to survive, that’s what her father had said.

 

_Alphonse holds this secret that there is nothing out there but death. I’ve been trying to figure out why for years, I think it has to do with Vault Tech._

 

“Well, I really need to go,” Dinah stood. “I’m sorry, but I’ll see you all after I talk to Amata tomorrow.” She quickly departed, not looking back at the confused faces.

 

As she rounded to her apartment with her father she stopped. Running hands through her hair; she just felt wrong.

 

“Dinah,” spinning she watched Ellen approach her, and stiffened as she saw Butch round the corner and freeze. “Dear, what happened?” Ellen reached out and took her hand. “You look so frazzled.”

 

“Mrs. DeLoria,” Dinah started, her eyes darting to Butch behind her. Squaring her shoulders, she readied herself. “Do you remember when I came to the vault?”

 

“What? Dear you mean when you were born?”

 

“No,” her eyes locked in on Ellen’s. “We both know you never met my mother.”

 

“Dinah, dear. I’m sure you are confused.”

 

Dinah pulled her hand away and turned, walking into her apartment and slamming the door. After only a moment she heard Butch on the other side.

 

“Open the door,” she hadn’t heard this tone of voice from him in a long time, and not directed at her for even longer.

 

“Go home, Butch, I need to be alone for a little bit.” She heard a grumble but then the door slid open behind her. “What the hell!” She yelled at him as she turned. He quickly shut the door behind him and glared at her. “What did you do to the door?” She desperately wanted to know how to do that now.

 

“What the fuck did you say to my mom? She looks scared of you.”

 

“I just need to be alone for a minute.” She crossed her arms, mirroring him.

 

“You make _me_ talk when I’m in a mood. It goes both ways.”

 

“Butch.” She closed her eyes as she said his name.

 

“What did your dad say?” His head was tilted again, that curl on his forehead shifting. “You were fine till after you left the clinic.”

 

“I don’t know how to talk about it yet,” she sighed. “But, I need you to promise me a few things.” She removed her pipboy and held out her hand for his. Who knew what she could actually trust in this place. When he took it off and handed it to her she placed them both on the counter and took his hand, leading him into her room.

 

Butch sat on her bed, taking off his jacket and placing it next to himself as she collected her thoughts. “What would you do if everything,” she took a breath, “no not that.” She was pacing. “People lie and sometimes they do it to, no not that either.” She was pulling on her hair frustrated. “Butch, I don’t even know where to start.”

 

“What did your dad tell you?” He was leaning back against her headboard, his legs kicked up on her bed. She smiled when she realized he had taken his shoes off, something she had gotten onto him before about.

 

She loved him, she realized now as she was about to tell him the truth about herself. And it may destroy her if he rejects her over it. Though, honestly, why would he?

 

“I’m not from here.” She started, sitting near his feet. “I wasn’t born in the vault.”

 

“What?” He was pushing himself up, his eyes widening.

 

“I was born out in the _wasteland_ , that’s what my dad and Jonas call it. My mother had me there and when she passed he brought me here to hide while he continued his work.”

 

She kept it secret for maybe an hour.

 

He was sitting quietly, no longer relaxed against the headboard, and soon he moved so he was sitting on the edge next to her.

 

“So, we can open the door.”

 

“Butch! We can’t tell anyone yet. My dad is still working on Project Purity.”

 

“What is that?”

 

“He is working on getting this giant filter setup to help purify the water systems out there. To help people,” she understood that it was important, and she was trying to feel that way about it also.

 

Butch ran a hand from his eyes to his mouth. Turning to her he smirked. “Always knew you didn’t belong here,” he nudged her shoulder with his and Dinah felt relief wash over her.

 

“We need to keep this to ourselves,” she told him. “Who knows what will happen if everyone finds out.”

 

“So, what is the plan?”

 

“They are going to finish the project and then get us out.”

 

“Are you sure your dad isn’t mental?”

 

“He brought proof, said he would show me later. But that is where the BB Gun’s came from. He has a few pistols he hid and a few photos from the camera him and Jonas have.” She sighed. “Butch, I wasn’t born here.”

 

“I know, that’s what you said.”

 

“No, it’s just, well,” she closed her eyes. “It’s all sinking in now. There is life out there. And Alphonse is keeping us away from it. Why?”

 

“You gonna talk to Amata about this?”

 

“What do you think? Would she even know? Would he make her hide it too? Overseers before must have hidden this as well if its universally believed to be safe here.”

 

“I think,” he leaned back, his hands gripping his knees. “I think you should keep this to yourself. Information is important and if too many of the wrong people have it,” he left that thought hanging. “I won’t tell anyone.”

 

She smiled and knew she could trust him.

 

“Thank you,” she said swaying into his shoulder. “I’m sorry for what I said to your mom though. I’m just confused. No one knew my mom. They didn’t know my dad either? Why do they pretend they do? Did they all just conveniently forget that we came from outside?”

 

“More questions.” Butch ran a hand through his hair.

 

“They _have to know._ ” Dinah tapped her hands together as she continued to hypothesize. “I wasn’t born here; my dad wasn’t here before. They _all know._ ”

 

“So why is it such a secret about the doors?”

 

“I think its just a secret to us.” Dinah realized. “Something had to have happened.” She looked over at her terminal. “The Overseer tracks _everything._ He must have records.” She looked back at Butch.

 

“So, we just need a good hack.” He winked. “I think I know what to do.”

 

* * *

  
 

Dinah was sitting in the atrium, the Overseer up in his window as always, smiling her best fake smile at Amata.

 

Was she an enemy? Was she trustworthy? Was this the same girl she loved with her whole heart? Or someone different? Did her father tell her? Had she known all along? Or was she kept in the dark like all the others?

 

So many questions that Dinah couldn’t just ask outright.

 

“Dinah, I’ve missed you so much!” Amata grabbed her hands as she approached and pulled her into a hug. “Oh, I’m so glad we can talk, I feel like its been a lifetime.” Amata took a seat at the small table.

 

The atrium was littered with tables and chairs, something Amata had wanted to do that her father had allowed.

 

“Me too,” Dinah felt a real smile slip out. “I’ve missed you so much.” She took the other seat and put her hands under her thighs to try to keep from fidgeting. “How has everything been? You seem so busy. Dad says you’ve only worked one or two days with him recently.”

 

“Yeah, I feel so bad but,” she turned her head towards the window where her father stood looking out. “It’s a lot to learn.”

 

“How do you feel about everything?”

 

“It’s,” Amata bit her lip as she looked back. “It’s a lot. I want to change a lot but,” leaning in she began to whisper. “Especially with this group of Elders they are putting together, well its difficult.”

 

“What do you want to do?”

 

“Open the doors.” Amata beamed. “Even with all the new knowledge I have from my dad about rules and roles and leadership,” she leaned further in, “I think it’s the right thing to do. I also want to expand further into the mountain so we can grow, but that means we need to survey our outer location.”

 

Dinah leaned back surprised. “You’ve thought about this,” she smiled. “I’m so happy to hear this.”

 

Amata shrugged but she was still smiling. “He can’t change my mind, no matter what he throws at me. I think we need to branch away from so much dependence on the Overseer.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Honestly I think all I’m needed for is the big decisions. I think it should be a discussion and not a lecture. If we _do_ expand I want enough other people on board with me too. I don’t want to jeopardize everyone else over my own ideals.”

 

Dinah felt tension leave her. This was good to hear. Very good. “So, what is the plan? How can I help you?” Maybe her dad could leave without a fuss.

 

“Help me with the lower levels first. They are on board for the first floor since we already had rooms there to start with. We just need to work on getting our generators up and clean out the mess down there. I was hoping you could help me convince Butch and his boys.” She smiled coyly. “Which I wanted to talk to you about anyway.”

 

“To convince them?”

 

“No, about what is up with you two. I saw him kiss you last year. Your birthday is coming up soon, is he gonna do that again? He is in the lab with you sometimes when I walk by. What’s up? When you met my dad you too were very comfortable. I saw him touch your arm on your way out and not in a bullying way.”

 

“Oh,” Dinah felt a flush spread on her face. “Well, um.” She moved her hands to the table. She _was_ supposed to stall as long as possible. And Butch never said to _not_ tell others. “He says I’m his girlfriend, and honestly, I’m on board with that. I like him,” she bit her lip. “A lot.”

 

“What happened? He used to be the biggest bastard to us!” Amata was smiling brightly and leaning forward.

 

“I don’t know. We bonded a little before his dad died and when he passed we talked a lot more too,” Dinah smiled.

 

“That was, what, five years ago?”

 

“More like three or four. We just talked and it grew over the years from that. I guess he liked me before that too?”

 

“My dad always said boys pick on the girls they liked. He assumed Butch liked me,” she laughed. “Thank goodness he took to you instead. No offense, just you know. Butch isn’t really my type.”

 

“Like Freddy?”

 

Amata laughed. “You too? My dad basically told him to bed me at our meeting!” She covered her mouth at her laugh. “Sorry, I mean he’s nice but he just,” she rubbed her chin. “He just sits there.”

 

“You’re the future Overseer. Do you think any of them will turn your eye?”

 

“Well, actually,” Amata sighed. “I’ve got a hopeless crush I’m trying to end right now.”

 

“Oh? Is it,” Dinah considered it. “Is it Jonas?”

 

“How did you know?”

 

“You talk about him constantly! He’s a funny guy I get that. His priorities are work though, I doubt he’ll get married.”

 

“Maybe I just want a hookup?”

 

“Amata, I don’t think those are options for you.”

 

“Why can’t they be? I want to be able to have a life too.” She pouted. “I don’t have much time till he steps down.”

 

Both girls sobered at that.

 

“Amata, uh, is something wrong with your dad?”

 

Amata looked at the window before looking at the table with a glare. “He won’t tell me. I tried to find his medical record but its blank. He cleared it apparently.”

 

“Have you thought about using his terminal to look? Did my dad not know? Did you ask him?”

 

“Absolutely I have looked and asked. He has a bunch of passwords and he won’t leave me alone in there to explore it. I think something is wrong though. Your dad wouldn’t tell me or didn’t know, I can’t tell which. Have you noticed him being,” she sat to think of the word.   


“Nicer?”

 

“Right? Its weird.” Both girls laughed.

 

“He just seems less strict. The Snakes don’t get in trouble for _anything._ I think its egging Butch on.”

 

“Wait! We got off topic so back to that!” Dinah sighed.

 

“I told you, we’re,” she stopped. “I like him and he likes me. We spend a decent amount of time together. He keeps showing up to help in the nursery and makes sure I’m eating. I treat his wounds when he gets in a fight and give them free advice about their bad choices. He’s been a constant friend for a while now and it just kinda, kept going over the years.”

 

“You like him.” Amata smiled. “I think you _love_ him.”

 

“I think I may too.” Dinah flushed again. “I can’t imagine life without him, and I miss him when he’s gone. I worry all the time and,” she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the table with a thud. “Oh god, I love him.”

 

“That’s adorable!” Amata clapped her hands. “I approve!”

 

“That doesn’t help,” Dinah laughed as she sat up. “I don’t know how he feels beyond that he told the guys to back off and that he _likes me._ ”

 

“That’s a start, for sure. Men are bad with feelings. Like, really bad. They are lucky we take the time to figure it out.” Amata tapped on her pipboy. “Would I be settling with Freddy?” She asked suddenly. “I don’t have lots of options. I have Freddy, or Wally,” she raised her fingers as she counted. “There’s Paul too I guess. I think Susie has a claim on him though.”

 

“Maybe you don’t need a guy.”

 

“True,” Amata smiled. “Maybe we can open the doors and my dream boat is out there, waiting on me to open the doors. Or I can take on more and more people to take care off here in the vault.”

 

“Maybe there are a ton of them out there, waiting patiently for you.” Dinah smiled. Looking down at her pipboy she smiled at the message from Butch. “I’m glad we could talk and I want to talk more soon.” She stood. “I have to go now though, please stay strong and we can chat soon?”

 

“Yeah,” Amata stood as well. “My dad wants meetings with you soon anyway. Starting in a few months we are going to officially start work downstairs and I need your support.”

 

“You have it, don’t worry.”

 

* * *

  
 

Butch was waiting for her by his shop with a huge grin. “Runt,” he said as she stopped in front of him. When she frowned and punched his arm he laughed loudly drawing a few glances from people nearby. “Would you prefer I call you _lover?_ ” He laughed loudly at her pink face. “Come inside, I wanted to trim your hair anyway.”

 

“What? You never mentioned this,” she pulled her hair into her hands nervously. “I like it long, it took years to get this way.” She smiled as he rolled his eyes.

 

“It isn’t healthy though, just give me a minute. I won’t ruin it, if that’s the concern.” He gestured to a stool in front of a tall mirror. Dinah sat down, her hair still over her shoulder in her fingers. He took one hand and, after meeting her eyes, kissed her knuckles. “Trust me,” he told her as he dropped the hand. Dinah sighed and released her hair. As he got to work he kept the conversation going. “So, I found the info we needed,” he said as he pulled a spray bottle out and began to wet her hair.

 

“And?”

 

“And nothing. We will need to try to go down to the lower levels and use an older terminal that isn’t currently maintained. I saved the info to a tape that we can insert into one.” He pulled the comb through her hair and she watched as he pulled some small scissors out and began to cut along the ends of her hair. “How did it go with Amata?”  


“She’s still on board with opening the doors. Very on board. She needs our support to do it. For now, she is working within the vault on these changes, but her big picture is a massive expansion for growth that opening the doors would help with. She doesn’t know what’s out there though, or that I’m from there. I believe she has no idea about what happened here.”

 

“That’s good, we need to keep her from turning into the old man.”

 

“Yea, but I want to know why he is the way he is. Why do we need to believe so much?” She bit her lip.

 

As he pulled the comb through her hair he moved to the side and crossed his arms, the scissors lazily hanging from his fingers. “How would you feel about bangs?”

 

Dinah looked in the mirror. She liked her long hair, it all fit in a ponytail and it looked cute. Bangs would cover her forehead though. “Wouldn’t that make me look younger?”

 

“No, I don’t think so.” He turned the stool towards himself so she was staring up at him. “I think it would look good on you.” He looked so serious and Dinah tilted her head.

 

“Would you like that?” She asked with a smile.

 

His smirk came back and he started to comb her hair over her face. “I would,” he said as he started to cut.

 

* * *

 

 

They got into the lower levels a week later, after talking to the group about Amata’s plans but leaving out their own.

 

As they pushed through the third set of doors into a room that actually had power Dinah felt tension ease a little. Butch was dusting his hands off on his jeans as he took the tape and inserted it into the terminal. The two stood silently as the tape loaded.

 

“What do you think it’ll say?” Butch asked as he turned to her, rising from the seat and pulling out a cigarette.

 

“We just want to know if the Overseer has records of the past.” Dinah turned to him. “How did you get this again?”

 

“I snuck around Amata’s room while you talked to her. You can access the Overseer’s info if you use a backdoor. She’s linked to him without the access,” he shrugged.

 

“When did you get good with computers?” Dinah asked surprised. “You could have tested into something else!”

 

“Yet here we are,” he smirked as he blew smoke at her and she angrily swiped her hand at the air. “I didn’t learn a lot of this till this year actually.”

 

Dinah moved over to him and took the cigarette out of his hand, tossed it on the ground, and stomped on it. “I thought you would be cutting back?”

 

“What gave you that impression?” He asked with a smile.

 

“My general dislike of them.”

 

“Ah, your _misconceptions_.”

 

Dinah smiled and moved her shoulder into his chest. “Jerk,” she laughed.

 

“You like it,” he replied as he tipped her chin up to kiss her.

 

“I do,” she sighed. Pulling away she looked at the computer. “Ugh, it still has a while to go. Looks like these older machines work slower.” She ran her hands together and turned to him.

 

He was eyeing her intensely before surveying the room. “Come here,” he said holding out his hand. Dinah followed his eyes around the room as she approached and realized just what he had in mind as he pulled her to him.

 

His lips brushed hers as he pulled her flush to him, his hand holding hers releasing it to rest on her hip as the other grabbed a fistful of hair to angle her head accordingly. Dinah moaned as he pulled her hips closer and he ground against her.

 

He quickly used both hands to grip her ass and lift her up off the floor and slam her into the nearby wall. He pulled back at her pained groan and checked her. “You okay?” He asked as he worked her zipper.

 

“Yeah, just a bit rough,” she breathed out as she buried a hand in his hair as she chased his lips. She couldn’t get enough of him, and though she said she hated the smoking the taste was intoxicating to her. It was him. She moaned as he adjusted her in his hands and she felt his length rub along her stomach.

 

“You like that, though,” he muttered as he kissed her jawline to her ear. “When I’m rougher,” he sucked her earlobe and groaned when she pushed against him and he felt the heat of her core near his length. Using the wall to stabilize her he pulled her zipper down to her hips and slid his free hand inside to grab her breast, his thumb rubbing around her nipple until it pebbled. Bending his head down, and pushing her bra up to expose her, he ran his tongue over it and smiled when she moaned loudly.

 

Dinah removed her arms from the sleeves and was thankful they decided to leave their pipboys behind. As her suit fell to her hips she moved her hands to push as his jacket. He pulled back and removed it, tossing it to the floor, then he unzipped his suit to his hips and pulled his arms free. Dinah quickly latched onto his upper arms, again reminded how much she liked them, and moved forward to kiss his neck. He was muttering to her now. _Baby. Yes. You like this yeah?_ Encouraging her to do more.

 

His hands moved to her hips where he put her on the ground so they could both remove their suits the rest of the way. Neither looking back at the loading terminal. As Dinah pulled her legs free she felt Butch wrap his hands around her and move her again. She kicked off the last leg and laughed as he tossed her onto a couch along the wall. She landed with a small bounce and watched as he removed the rest of his clothing, save for underwear, and then crawl atop her. He cupped her face as he kissed her again, being tender with her, as he thrust against her heat with a moan in her open mouth. They both pulled back slightly, his lips still brushing hers as they moved.

 

His other hand gripped her thigh, moving it up his side to rest her foot against his back as he pressed into her deeply. “Baby I want to feel you,” he mumbled as he moved to her underwear and slid it down her legs to then toss onto the floor.

 

“You too,” she panted as he sat up to removed them. She eyed him as he returned, his cock rubbing against her hotly. She tossed her head back as he rubbed her nub as he thrust against her, his lips latching onto her exposed neck. She felt his hands both move to her hips as he pulled back, and she opened her eyes to find him watching her intensely. “Butch,” she breathed out and he closed his eyes with a sign when she said his name.

 

“I want to be inside you,” he groaned as pushed against her again, the tip rubbing her entrance. “Can I?” He was flexing his hands on her hips, a bruise forming on one side.

 

Dinah was silent a moment. They had been leading up to this for a while. They had stayed away from actual sex until this point and, honestly, she was beyond ready for him. He knew everything about her, he was everything _to_ her. She couldn’t imagine anyone else to be her first, and honestly, she wanted him to be her only. Her dad always had said to wait until you found the person you wanted to be with forever and looking at Butch now with his face red and his eyes wide and voice wavering as he asked she knew it would be him.

 

She reached out, her hand moving between their bodies, and gripped him. “Be careful with me,” she mumbled as she helped him find the right spot. “I’ve not done this before,” she said as he pushed gently into her. She rested her forehead against his own, having sat up enough. Butch kissed her temple, his hands on her hips relaxing, as he slowly pushed into her with small thrust. As he pulled back she felt the tension ease but then when he pushed in she felt a strain on her hips and core and it _hurt._

 

After a few moments it felt like something ripped and she fell back with a whimper, her hands coming up to cover her face. “God,” she hissed as he stilled and moved over her. His hands gripped her own and pulled them away so he could kiss her gently.

 

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled as he ran a hand along the side of her face. “Sorry,” he said when he shifted as she hissed again, a tear falling from her eye. His thumb ran along her cheek as he moved back again and she gripped his hands. “I’m so sorry,” he said again as he pushed in again and she closed her eyes again.

 

“Don’t stop, just,” she bit her lip, “slowly.”

 

He moved away again and pushed in a moment later and Dinah slowly felt the pain fade into a feeling of need. When she finally moved her hips into him he sighed, his forehead hitting the arm of the chair. He moved again and when she matched his movement he groaned loudly. “Fuck, Dinah. You feel,” he pulled back, kissing her cheek as he sat up. “So good,” he moaned as he moved his knees and pushed her thighs apart. His thrust got more aggressive and she felt her body jolt with each connection.

 

Reaching forward she rested her hands on his shoulders to anchor herself. His body was tense and she flushed at the way he was watching were they were connected. “Butch,” she moaned when he reached down to rub her nub. He looked up at her, his face red save for the scar above his lip and she felt it bubble out without her choice. “Oh, I _love_ you,” she said as he smirked at her.

 

He pressed harder against her nub and his thrust grew harder. “Say it again,” he said as he continued his slow but rough thrusts.

 

“I love you,” she said again as her head tossed back and he pulled an orgasm from her. It felt odd, satisfying but odd. To feel that high while he continued to work her, his cock rubbing her insides as his fingers worked outside. She floated along longer then the previous experiences and she swore she would do this as often as they could to feel this as often as she could.

 

When she looked back at him a few moments later, her body still tense she watched as he had his eyes closed and he thrust into her roughly before he quickly pulled out and finished on top of her, his spend landing on her lower body.

 

He was leaning against the couch his eyes screwed shut as he panted, his hands still resting on her legs. “Enjoy yourself?” She asked, trying to dispel the silence.

 

He chuckled, keeping his eyes closed but rubbing her leg with his hand. “Every time,” he said.

 

She grabbed his white undershirt and used it to clean up as she tried to avoid the major confession she let out. She winced at the red that she wiped away and wondered if next time would be better. Though she enjoyed it, maybe next time she wouldn’t hurt so much going into it.

 

“I think the terminal is done loading,” she said as she stood, her legs aching. She was pulling on her clothing as he came up behind her to grab is own. “What do you think we’ll-“ she was cut off when he roughly grabbed her face and kissed her again.

 

“So, you love me?”

 

Dinah gulped, trying to pull away to properly grab her clothing. “I said it didn’t I?”

 

Butch chuckled. “You did,” he replied as he zipped up, tucking the undershirt into his jacket’s inside pocket.

 

Dinah stood there, wondering briefly if he would say anything else, but quickly bolted at the chance to change the subject. Not giving him a chance to say he didn’t or did.

 

“It’s done!” She quickly took the seat, pulling her hair up in a quick bun with the hair tie she kept around her wrist. As they stood there watching, Butch leaning his arm on the chair she sat it, the screen filled with green titles and files and the two quickly took stock of what they had found.

 

Clicking on the first page, dated at the beginning of the vault opening, they found the logs of the original Overseer.

 

Neither said anything, as the learned the origins of their vault.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay! I manage in a hotel and summer/leisure guest make my life busy!
> 
> I had to cut this chapter in half again, so prepare for another update soon. We are rolling now so it is about to get intense really quickly. :)

Dinah was surprised with how well Butch had handled himself over the last ten months.

 

She had expected him to rampage, to cause a scene and provide chaos.

 

To have learned that his whole existence was an experiment with no purpose but to study human nature was something that would be hard to handle. Dinah had struggled herself with the knowledge that not only was there a world out there, but that she herself was born there. So, to see Butch function normally for the last few months knowing that he could be out there, living life and answering to no one, well it was troubling. It also showed her how mature he had become.

 

That night they had both stayed in that room till early in the morning going over logs dating back hundreds of years. Not only did Vault Tech preform experiments, they had brainwashed the vaults inhabitants for generations. With instructions dating from before the bombs even fell. Dinah felt some pity for Amata, to have to be the one put into that roll. But, as she and Butch had discussed, they didn’t know how much Amata was aware of yet. She could be a part of this conspiracy, or she could have no idea. And some Overseers in the past had disregarded the orders, it wasn’t until Alphonse that they really got back on track.

 

Dinah didn’t think Amata knew, or if she did her plans for the vault were an elaborate ruse.

 

Dinah had, of course, told her father about their findings, with Butch sitting with her. Her father hadn’t looked surprised, Dinah hadn’t expected him to be. He had accepted it quickly and confirmed that they needed to move quickly.

 

Dinah had told Butch everything, so her father had as well. Project Purity was going to be moved forward, by the end of this year her father said.

 

For now, they all acted like nothing had changed, while obviously it had.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Dinah, a word?”

 

Dinah looked up from her lab work to see her father standing awkwardly in the door frame of the lab. His hands were deep in his pockets and he was looking at the _inspirational_ posters on the far wall.

 

“Ok, let me finish this last-,” she bit her lip as she closed off the syringe for a stimpak. “Ok, done.” She placed it gently on the tray to her left and turned to her father. “Here or in the office?”

 

“At home, actually,” he smiled fondly at his daughter and wrapped one of his arms over her shoulders as they started to walk down the hall.

 

“What’s it about? PP?”

 

They had codenamed Project Purity a while back, so they could speak a little more openly.

 

“No,” he smiled as they passed a few kids. “It’s about that boyfriend of yours.”

 

“Oh,” Dinah pulled on her sleeves awkwardly.

 

They hadn’t really had this conversation yet. While her father knew that the two of them were close she hadn’t come out to say that they were intimate.

 

She loved Butch, she knew that for sure. And she had a good feeling he loved her too. But Butch wasn’t the kind of guy to say that, let alone publicly.

 

As they walked into their home she eyed her boxes by her bedroom. She needed to get more serious about packing if she wanted a good apartment. Butch had already gotten his three months ago and she was spending more and more time there, which she was sure her father had noticed. It was hard to be serious about moving when the future was so unsure.

 

“So, tell me, how serious is this?” He leaned against the counter and watched his daughter fidget. “I know you spend plenty of time there, and he’s _constantly_ around. He knows all our plans so he obviously is important to you, but how important? You know we have to leave eventually.”

 

“I,” Dinah looked away nervous. This wasn’t an easy conversation. “I like him a lot. He’s nice to me and looks out for me. He’s been a big help with everything and-“

 

“No, you are describing a _friend_ and we both know he is more than that.”

 

“I love him,” she breathed it out quietly. She watched his eyebrows shoot up. “And he’s helping us figure out how to get out of here, he’s protecting us from all the people asking _questions._ He wants to leave with us,” she told him.

“Questions?”

 

“Dad, we aren’t from here, people obviously know that. The people I grew up with aren’t ignorant anymore and they ask me,” she swallowed. “They ask why no one knows who my mom was, or why my history is so short, why no one is related to me.”

 

“How does he protect you?”

 

“Butch is an enforcer dad, he just makes them be quiet. We all know that eventually it will come out, but we will be ready by then. Right?”

 

“I’m hoping in a few more months. You’ll turn eighteen in a few weeks, but you need to start getting ready for what’s out there.” 

 

“You need to tell me what to prepare for dad. And what will we do about the vault?”

 

“What do you mean? We will leave it here to do whatever Alphonse wants.”

 

“No dad, when we leave it won’t be quiet. Me and you are _important_ to the structure here. Without you we have no doctor, Jonas isn’t good enough and you know that. Without me we have no one to make a bulk of the food or stims. I have an assistant now, Trey, but when we leave.” She waved her hand. “It is going to be crazy here.”

 

“We can’t worry about them when there is a bigger picture.”

 

“Dad, you know that’s wrong.”

 

“What can I do for these people, Dinah? We aren’t their saviors.”

 

 “What would mom have done?”

 

He grew silent at that and looked away, his arms crossed defensively.

 

“Butch is important to me dad, I love him and he’s trying to help the best he can. Please try to include him. The fact that he’s kept our secrets for this long is very telling about his character. Also, he wants to go with us when we leave.”

 

“We need to meet soon, then.” Her father turned back to her. “I believe your judgment and so far, he has proven to be on our side.” Reaching out he took her hands gently in his own and kissed her knuckles.  “Be wary of the vault dwellers. It’s a saying I had heard before I came here. Many of them _know_ we could leave the vault but they are blinded by Alphonse. Amata takes over in two months, we need to be ready. She needs to _know._ ”

 

“We can meet tonight to talk? Butch will be free in a few hours, its only four.”

 

“No, Jonas needs to know as well. Let’s plan for tomorrow afternoon.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Dinah was waiting outside the barber shop chatting with a younger girl, Claire, who had graduated recently. She had long blond hair like Dinah and was constantly around the barber shop which caused Dinah to be a little antsy with her. She noticed the way Claire’s eyes light up when Butch would look her way and she noticed the girl at dinner constantly looking at him.

 

“So where did you place on your G.O.A.T.?”

 

“They want me to work in the water treatment area. I tested fairly well in the sciences,” she was pink in the face and Dinah couldn’t help but smile at her eagerness.

 

“We may overlap at some point then,” Dinah said as she looked up at the door opening. “Ah, Butch.” She smiled brightly at him and noticed that Claire did as well. “Lovely talking to you,” she told the younger girl as she walked up to Butch and put her arm against his. Butch rolled his eyes but nodded to Dinah before addressing Claire.

 

“Meet with Wally at lunch tomorrow, he’ll talk to you about initiation.” The two walked away from the girl and Dinah looked up at him confused. Butch shrugged, “she wants to join the Snakes.”

 

“Oh,” Dinah looked away. “I didn’t realize you were looking for new members.”

 

“Always, _especially_ when we get outta here, we need to be strong.” Dinah furrowed her eyebrows and looked at her feet.

 

“Speaking of that,” she muttered as they rounded a corner. She squeaked as he spun her around and her back hit the wall. He lifted her by the waist and snuck his hands under her thighs to hold her still as he kissed her. When he pulled back Dinah couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out. “Miss me?” She reached forward and touched her finger to his nose and he bit at it. He leaned back in and kissed her, her hands falling away to his shoulders.

 

It wasn’t uncommon for them to end up like this recently. Before they had both been secretive about their relationship, but now neither seemed to care as much. They had been caught a few times in hallways, at dinner, even once in the communal bathroom. Nothing heavy, just making out, but Dinah figured it alarmed a few people.

 

Amata had sat down with her with crazy eyes asking if she was pregnant yet.

 

He bit her lip and she groaned when he rolled his hips into hers. “Stop,” she muttered and pulled on his hair. He leaned back, his eyelids heavy, and smirked.

 

“Fine,” he sighed as he sat her down and adjusted himself. “You coming by tonight?”

 

“Do you want me to?”

 

“Still need help unpacking.” He told her as he ran a hand through his hair and hissed. Dinah frowned and crossed her arms.

 

“Is that another head injury?”

 

“No,” he was lying and Dinah let out a loud sigh.

 

“Butch, what happened this time?”

 

“Just fighting with the boys, it’s been a little more _intense_.”

 

“Have you told them yet?”

 

“You said not to.”

 

“Good.” Dinah stood on her toes and pulled his head down by grabbing his collar and tugging. The top of his head was red under his hair and she figured it was bruised. “I can get you more stimpaks but I want you to do something for me.” She let him go and smiled at him as he crowded her back against the wall.

 

“Be more careful,” he rolled his eyes. “Yeah I know but-“

 

“No,” she took in a deep breath and looked in his eyes. “I need you to teach me how to fight.”

 

“What?” Butch leaned back and eyed her. “Why?”

 

“You know exactly why,” she looked around and tugged at his hand as a few people walked down the other side of the hall. She smiled a little as he threads his fingers through her own. “I plan on going as soon as dad does, I won’t let you guys do all the fighting.”

 

“You are fine with that gun,” he told her as they approached the stairs. He tugged her hand as he took two steps at a time and she had to move quickly to keep up. “But I understand,” he waited on the landing for her. “Hand to hand is always a good skill to have.” He tugged her hand with a smirk.

 

She smiled to herself as he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles and she wondered if he knew he was doing it or if it was just a reflex now.

 

They entered the cafeteria and he waved goodbye to her as he sat at his usual table and Dinah went to sit with Amata and Christine.

 

The girls greeted her warmly and they quickly caught up on events.

 

“Me and Wally are going to get married next month,” Christine told them with a smile.

 

“The fact that he somehow convinced you of that is amazing,” Amata said with a roll of her eyes. “Speaking of, how are things with Butch?” Dinah colored, as she always did, as both girls zeroed in on her.

 

“Fine,” she thanked Andy as he placed a cold Nuka Cola on the table in front of her.

 

“You’ve been spending a _lot_ of time in his apartment.” Amata took her fork and stabbed the meat on her tray. “That’s kinda a big deal,” she took a bite and smiled as Freddy walked by.

 

“Well what about you and Freddy?”

 

“Slowly,” she muttered. “He’s so _shy._ ”

 

“Remember when you had a crush on Jonas?” Christine snickered as Susie plopped down next to them.

 

“Ladies,” Susie said as she surveyed the table. “Boy talk?”

 

“Usually,” Dinah rolled her eyes. “Do we ever talk about anything else?”

 

“Well, how about the new clothing I’m about to put out?” All eyes turned to her excitedly. “You heard right!” She smiled brightly. “I’ve got a bunch of new shirts that are about to be finished. Thanks again Dinah,” Dinah nodded. “That cotton you got me has been _amazing._ ”

 

“It grows quickly in the greenhouse,” Dinah shrugged. “What about that apartment?”

 

“Oh yeah, its wonderful. I can’t wait to decorate. Paul has already filled it with crappy furniture.”

 

Susie and Paul had been married as soon as they both turned eighteen last month.

 

“I can’t wait to get my own,” Dinah said. Though she felt strange about it, who knew how long she would actually live there before they left. Though, who knew how long she would be gone, she could be back soon and back to living safely in the vault.

 

“Your birthday is in just a few weeks,” Amata leaned in. “What’s the plan?”

 

“I didn’t really have a plan yet,” Dinah confessed. “What should we do?”

 

“We can have it in mine,” Christine said with a wide smile. “It’s mostly empty right now and I would love to have you guys over to help. We can drink and watch old vids and make out with _boys._ ” The table erupted in laughter. “Might be the push Freddy needs,” she said with a wink to Amata. “We can invite some of the younger kids, not too young, and introduce them.” She shrugged. “A few of them are pretty smart. Would be good to have them on our side about the door.” Dinah jolted up, remembering that they all still had that plan.

 

“How’s that coming along Amata?” Susie asked as they all sobered.

 

“I’ve got my plan outlined but I need to get more of the elders to support me. They are all so old and stuck to their ways.” She pouted. “Soon, guys. I have a plan.”

 

They all nodded to one another. “But back to you Dinah,” Christine said. “Butch? Really? How’s that going? Wasn’t he, like, the biggest bastard?”

 

“Well, yeah.” She fidgeted as they all leaned in. “But he’s good to _me._ ”

 

“That’s like saying _he beats his mom but not me.”_ Amata chuckled. “He has softened up a bit over the years. These last few months he’s really buckled down too. My dad has stopped complaining about him on a daily basis.”

 

“Buckled down?”

 

“Well he grabbed one of the first apartments, and you have to have stability to get one. He’s of age, he’s not beating up all the other guys anymore-“

 

“Please, Wally has a black eye again and we all know they are fighting.” Susie said angrily.

 

“But they are containing it.” Amata shrugged.

 

The group looked towards the table that the Snakes were sitting at and Dinah stiffened when she noticed a few girls loitering around them. “Oh look,” Christine leaned her head against her fist as she watched. “They have their groupies again.”

 

“It’s different for them, they didn’t grow up being tormented by them.” Susie smirked. “I think the boys are too afraid to do anything anyway.”

 

“They act all tough but,” Christine sat back and stood up. “They are still stupid boys, excuse me,” she walked away and they watched as she slapped Wally on the back of the head. His hand had been resting on a dark-haired girl on her lower back, Sarah. Dinah watched as Butch leaned back and laughed, Claire not far from him.

 

“Do you guys ever worry?” Dinah asked quietly.

 

Amata looked at Dinah, her head tilted to the side. “I think of everyone here you are the safest. Butch cares about you,” she sighed. “For years actually. I think we all just looked the other way for a while. Wanted to pretend they were all scum.” They looked back and watched as Butch was leaning forward looking at his hands and Claire continued to talk to him. After a moment he looked up and caught Dinah’s eye and she felt a flutter as he actually _smiled_ at her.

 

“I love him,” she confessed quietly, knowing he probably could read her lips from here. He smiled bigger, his teeth flashing. Amata smiled sadly at her and reached forward and rubbed her shoulder.

 

“Sucks to be you.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Dinah was helping clean up the cafeteria after hours, part of her cleaning assignment that week. She had noticed she received this one often and wondered why she was being singled out for it. Did she do to well?

 

As she was putting the vacuum away, and waving goodnight to Andy, she noticed her pipboy light up and she pulled her messages up. Two sat waiting, she hadn’t noticed the one from earlier. One was from Christine, confirming a party at her apartment in two weeks for Dinah’s birthday and the other was from Butch asking if she was still coming by.

 

She was typing a message in return when someone cleared their throat across the room and Dinah looked up to see a few people standing in the hallway. She noticed Claire in the back and Trey as well. Lifting her hand in greeting she furrowed her eyebrows confused. “Hello,” she greeted. They all looked very nervous and she sent her message to Butch half finished. “Here to help? I’ve already finished,” she smiled at the group and tugged on the end of her long hair.

 

“Dinah,” Trey stepped forward, looking nervous. “We have a few questions.”

 

_OH._

 

She really hopped they were questions she could answer. “About?”

 

“The vault,” he said as they walked into the room. Their ages ranged from fifteen to seventeen, all her lower classmates. They were out of class now, save for a few, and she had a feeling word was spreading.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Well,” Trey looked around and she noticed his pale face looking paler. “My dad says you aren’t right.”

 

“Right?”

 

“Like, you don’t belong here. He’s always making _comments_ about your family but,” he shrugged. “You’re nice and I figured I’d ask you. But then,” he gestured around him. “They all hear the same things.”

 

“Comments?” She stood firm, squaring heir shoulders and arching a brow. “What _things_?”

 

“Like, who was your mom? Why don’t you have more family here?” He bit his lip. “Is there a way _out?_ ”

 

“Out?” She looked down at her pipboy as a message popped up from Butch. Lowering her arm, she sighed and gestured to a table. “Put the chairs down and we can chat.”

 

As they all arranged the chairs she quickly typed out a S.O.S. to Butch. “So,” she took a seat. “What do you mean by _out_?”

 

“Out of the vault.” Claire spoke up, looking nervous. “Is there a way? I keep hearing things.”

 

“From _who?”_ Dinah didn’t mean to snap, but she couldn’t stop it. “Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about but-“

 

“Then who was your mom’s family? Or your dad’s?” Another girl cut in. “Why does no one have anything to tell us about you?”

 

“Look,” Dinah tugged her sleeves down growing antsy. “I don’t have to explain myself to _anyone_ ,” she glared at the group. “But, you should voice these concerns to Amata.” She watched their startled faces. “If you are concerned, or if you have questions you should bring them up to her. She will be Overseer soon and she may have more answers then me. But this isn’t how you go about it, ganging up on me.” Amata, she needs to find this out on her own and form her own opinion.

 

“That isn’t what this is,” Trey said quietly. “We just keep getting the run around and it raises more questions for us.” His dark hair was curling out from his jumpsuits collar and Dinah had to fight herself to not reach out and tuck it in.

 

“Amata has a group meeting with most of us on Sundays, here after hours. You should join us, we can all talk.” She sighed as she noticed Butch rush into the room, his jumpsuit still unzipped as he probably had thrown it on quickly.

 

“What’s going on here?” He spoke, trying to sound casual but his face fierce. The group turned to him and a few stiffened up while the rest scattered. “You alright?” he asked as he walked up to Dinah and put his hands on the back of her chair.

 

“I was telling them to take their concerns about the vault to Amata on Sunday, she has answers for things I don’t.” She looked up at him and felt relief flood her.

 

“Good idea,” he said as he met the eyes of the remaining group. “Or you can bring them to _me_ too.” He flexed his arms on the chair as he pushed up. “A few of you are joining the Snakes soon, right? You should talk to me.” He looked at Trey with a glare. “As I have said before.”

 

Claire nodded behind Trey, her hand reaching out to touch his elbow. “Sorry Butch,” she mumbled. “But Dinah has answers, right?”

 

“I do too,” he barked. “Now _scat_.” He pulled Dinah up and walked with her out of the room, not watching the rest of them leave. “What happened?” He snapped at her as they descended the stairs and, she assumed, headed to his apartment.

 

“Nothing bad, they have questions.”

 

“Of course, they do,” he grumbled. “I keep talkin’ to them about it but they still brought it to you.” He rolled his shoulder and Dinah reached forward and rubbed her hand along his shoulder down to his wrist. “I told them not to _fucking_ bother you with this.”

 

“I get why they did Butch. They have questions, like we did. Just,” she bit her lip as they got to his floor and she tugged his hand. “Well, I _am_ the one with answers.”

 

He looked up at the ceiling, his shoulders sagging. “We can’t tell them yet,” he muttered. “Remind me again why.”

 

“We can’t just riot, we have to have a plan. We don’t know what to expect and we are under armed. My dad wants to meet tomorrow with us and go over some things.” She stepped forward and grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him down, startled that he had left his jacket behind. “Thank you,” she said as she stood on her toes to kiss him.

 

“What for?” He leaned down to kiss her again and she smiled against his lips.

 

“Rushing in,” she straitened up and tugged on the button at her throat. “I need to get used to it, at least until we can come clean.”

 

“How did this not happen before?”

 

“I think the last generation didn’t want to do anything to a kid, but I’m an adult now. What are they protecting? I’m sure they all assume I _know._ Who knows what my dad experienced all these years.”

 

“Fuckers knew themselves and are keeping it from us.”

 

As they walked down the hall Dinah eyed a few empty apartments with a sad smile. “I can’t wait to move.”

 

Butch laughed, his hand sneaking into hers. “You’ll still basically live with me.”

 

“Or maybe you will with me,” she replied with an easy smile. “It’ll be nice to have a safe place to ourselves though. For however long we can,” they both grew quiet. “We can’t abandon this place,” she told him as he opened his door. She walked in first and smiled to herself at his mess.

 

He had clothing all over the couch and table, his switchblade on the kitchen counter stuck in a cutting board. His trash was full and his fridge was open a little, the room cold from it. “Butch, I was just here,” she admonished as she started to pick up his clothing.

 

“What can I say,” he shrugged as he grabbed his switchblade and put it in the inside pocket of his jacket that was on the counter. He kicked his fridge closed and followed her around the room.

 

She was putting the clothes in his room, to add to the basket, when she noticed that his bed was made. “You made the bed but left the rest dirty?”

 

He was behind her, his hands sneaking around her waist to rest on her stomach. “I like you in my bed and _you_ like it clean,” he said against her ear, his lips brushing the shell.

 

“I like it _all_ clean.” She said as she dropped his clothing in the basket, then squeaked as he picked her up and tossed her on the bed.

 

“Well, I showered so that counts,” he mumbled as he pulled his shirt off over his head and, to her delight, made sure it landed in the basket by his door. “I’ll do laundry Sunday, for now you can deal with it on the floor.” He grabbed her ankle and pulled her to the edge of his bed, so his hips met her own. Looking up at him Dinah watched as his expression softened a little. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

 

“I’m fine,” she placed her hands on the bed and pushed up to smile at him. “I just need to have a good answer the next time, because we both know they won’t stop asking.” She laughed as his lips brushed against her ankle. She removed her pipboy and tossed it to the floor, he had a nice rug and she hoped hers would too. She let him reach forward and she watched his face as he unzipped her suit, his eyebrows furrowed together and his lips pressed together as he concentrated.

 

A few weeks ago, her hair had gotten caught in the zipper and a nice chunk had to be cut out. She now had a small amount in the front that was half the length as the rest. His eyes followed the zipper and she smiled at the way his mouth opened slightly when he noticed she only had a bra on underneath.

 

On his birthday she had shown up with nothing on underneath her suit.

 

She reached forward and ran her hand along his jaw, tilting his face up so she could kiss him. He mumbled against her lips and his hands pushed inside her suit to pull it down her shoulders. She pulled her hands free before putting them both in his hair to pull him closer.

 

He lifted his knee up to the bed and rested it against her core and moaned at the heat he felt. “Baby,” he mumbled as his lips trailed along her jawline to her ear. “I will never get board of this,” he mumbled before he sucked against the skin under her ear. His hands moved up to tug on her hair, it was still long but he had been cutting it more lately, giving it layers.

 

“Don’t want that,” she mumbled as she ground against his knee. “Have to keep you interested,” she moaned when one of his hands pushed her bra up and he rubbed her nipple with his thumb. “With all the competition I have now,” she sighed as she reached down and cupped him through his pants.

 

A husky laugh sounded next to her ear and she whimpered when he pulled back from her. “No competition, baby,” he said as he leaned in and kissed her neck, his hand framing the side of her face to tilt it up to his ceiling. “Just me and you,” he ran his tongue along her neck and she shivered at the cold it left behind.

 

He pulled his suit down all the way, pulling off his boots, Dinah doing the same and tossing them by her pipboy, and he worked out of his pants as she did the same. She leaned back, watching him struggle and she felt that bubble of emotion in her chest again, like she couldn’t breath properly but she was still getting enough air. A tightness in her chest that felt _good._

 

“I love you,” she said quietly, her face turning red. She told him all the time, mostly when they had sex. He glanced up at her as he pulled his socks off and tossed them with his suit in the basket nearby. He had the grace to smile at her, not smirk, as he moved back to the bed and reached for her face. He kissed her, slowly the way she liked that made her melt, and he pulled on her hair making her moan.

 

“Again,” he breathed against her as his hand slipped into her underwear and he felt her slickness. As his fingers entered her she tossed her head back and closed her eyes, a soft moan leaving her.

 

“I love you,” she panted as she moved her hips in time with his fingers. One of her hands reached out and she gripped his forearm, her other supporting herself. “I love you, Butch,” she mumbled and smiled to herself as he groaned.

 

She knew he loved her, and while she never heard it in return this was his return to her. His _need_ to hear it. He _got off_ to it.

 

“God, why?” he muttered as his thumb found her nub and he pressed gently against it, causing her to fall back onto the bed. She was canting her hips towards his hand desperately, the pressure building.

 

“You,” she panted, “are _you_.”

 

He laughed quietly, his eyes closed as he listened to the sounds she made, the wetness of her core and the moans from her lips. “Does this feel good?”

 

She swatted at his arm with a smile. He applied more pressure to her nub for a few strokes but she gasped when his hand moved away and his lips took their place. He had pulled her panties down to her ankles, letting them hang there in a way she liked. Confining her a little. His lips moved against her, his hands on her thighs holding her down. She opened her eyes to watch as he went down on her, his eyes closed and a blissful look on his face. She ran a hand along his head and apologized when he pulled back and winced when she applied to much pressure to the back.

 

He wiped his mouth, eyeing her, as she gently rubbed his head. “Sorry,” she muttered, her eyes dark. He nodded, lowering himself back to her core, but keeping his eyes on her. When she closed her eyes, he stopped and she looked back at him to see him shake his head.

 

“Watch me,” he mumbled as he licked along her vaginal lips.

 

She had to bite her lip and nodded her head as he added his fingers to the stimulation and his lips sucked on her clit. She felt her face flush and she came far too quickly then she had before. His intense eyes bore into her and she had to toss her head back, her hair pooling on the bed behind her, as she gripped him and rode his face.

 

As she lay panting he pulled his fingers out and she could hear him sucking on them. She flushed as he moved up the bed to be near her, his hand resting on her stomach. “Good stuff?”

 

She laughed and hit his shoulder with little to no force. “Ass,” she laughed as she took a deep breath to help calm her heart. Pushing against his shoulder she straddled him as he lay on the bed, rubbing her wet lips against his length. She still shuddered as her nerves had been stimulated, but it felt good. Reaching down she guided him into her heat and she watched as his head leaned back, neck exposed, and he let out a deep moan. His hands moved to her hips and he helped her slowly lower herself onto him.

 

As she came flush with his pelvis she rested her hands on his chest to help leverage as she rose up and fell back down onto him. His hands rested on her hips, helping her come back down on him roughly. The sounds of their bodies slapping together filled the room in a lewd way and Dinah felt a flush cover her face.

 

He was beautiful. His hair was a mess and his lips were swollen and the way his eyes flashed at her just filled her with a deep feeling of longing. “Butch,” she muttered as his knees bent upwards to angle her differently.

 

“Yeah,” he replied, lost in the feelings. “Dinah,” he whispered against her neck as she leaned down. He moved one hand to her back and held her against him and the other rested on her ass to help him time his thrust with her own.

 

Dinah pulled her hair behind her back, out of the way, and kissed his forehead. Leaning down she let her lips ghost against his ear. “I love you Butch Deloria.”

 

He came not long after that, his hand from her back buried in her hair and her name on his lips.

 

 

* * *

 

  
 

The next day Dinah and Butch sat awkwardly in her apartment waiting on her father to return from his office.

 

Butch had gotten into another fight that morning, a fresh bruise on his face. Dinah had been upset and was currently giving him the silent treatment.

 

“Very childish,” he said his arms crossed and looking at the ceiling.

 

Dinah huffed loudly and tucked her feet under the chair. “You need to be careful. Getting in fights _is_ childish too.”

 

Butch sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Turning to her, his hands now clasped together and resting over his knees.

 

“I’ll start training you this week if you want. But you’ll get bruises too. I’m anemic Dinah, I bruise from bumping into anything. So, I bruise often and easily. You know this.”

 

Dinah turned to him, her face soft. “I’m still allowed to worry.” Her hands were threaded together in her lap and she smiled when he reached forward and took one.

 

A few moments later Butch dropped her hand as her father walked into the room. He didn’t voice anything over their clasped hands, he knew anyway, as he took off his coat and walked to the fridge.

 

“I made some food already dad,” Dinah said as she pushed a plate his way. He looked at her gratefully and sat down. “We ate before we got here,” Dinah said. Butch nodded as he grabbed the drink off the table.

 

“Good,” her father told her as he sat back after a few bites. “I’ll be working almost non-stop but we are so close to being ready.” He turned his eyes towards Butch. “So, you know most of it, I’ve told you a lot myself. But I’ve not told you,” his eyes turned towards Dinah, “either of you, about the wasteland.”

 

“You’ve told us a little,” she pulled her hair over her shoulder nervously. “That people live out there, though not well.”

 

“Monsters too,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Part of the reason I insisted that you learn how to use that gun all those years ago was so that it would be a useful skill in case you ever found yourself out there.” He wiped his mouth and leaned back in his chair. “Radiation has adverse effects on any living organisms. It isn’t just animals that mutated, people too.”

 

Dinah and Butch both sat forward.

 

“Some people lose their minds after exposed radiation. They are called feral ghouls. Though not all lose their minds, just physically deformities, they are simply ghouls.”

 

“How do you know which is which?” Butch asked.

 

“Usually a feral will make this sound, unlike anything you have ever heard before. A moan and scream in one. No clothing, or limited at most, and skin almost completely gone. When we leave there is a town not far from the vault we can stop in. Usually some ghouls live nearby that you will meet with, as I have plans to ask them for help.”

 

“How can they help?” Dinah tugged at her shirt bottom, feeling sick from this talk.

 

“They have been exposed to radiation long enough that it has less effects on them. They will be able to be in areas that would severely hinder and harm us were we to go un-equipped.”

 

“Ok, so how many people are out there.”

 

“People have built towns all over, but it has taken considerable effort. And also, not everyone is friendly. They call themselves raiders. They will team up and fight anyone they see who isn’t with them to take their things and lives. They look out for themselves, and non-else.”

 

“But they teamed up?” Butch sat forward. “Doesn’t sound so bad.”

 

“Don’t think for a second they don’t turn on each other constantly. They make it hard for humanity to move forward as they don’t care about anything but themselves. Your gang is nothing like a gang of raiders son.”

 

They three all sat in silence for a moment.

 

“Then there are super mutants and deathclaws.”

 

“Theirs _more_?” Butch looked furious.

 

“Deathclaws are the worst of the group. Their skin is so think it takes considerable firepower to break through, its best to flee when faced with one. Unless, of course, the Brotherhood of Steel is nearby.”

 

“Who are they?”

 

 

* * *

 

  
 

The following day Dinah woke up with a headache.

 

After going back to Butch’s after their talk with her dad she was left feeling a lot more dread then before. Before it was a simple job of getting from point A to point B and starting up a filter to help people. Now it was _survival._

 

Butch had been silent afterwards, reflecting on the conversation as well. That night he had kissed her on the forehead and held her through the night, not something he did often.

 

Dinah sat up and rubbed at her forehead. How had her father done this every day for years?

 

Such a secret to keep. These poor people had no idea. They were fucked inside the vault and outside. The best they could have would be the choice.

 

She would give it to them.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Her first fighting lesson was a week later.

 

Butch had told her to meet him at his apartment and he would lead her to the rendezvous point.

 

“Hey babe,” he kissed the top of her head and wrapped a hand around her shoulders.

 

He had been exceptionally affectionate after the talk with her father.

 

Dinah wouldn’t complain.

 

“So where are we going?”

 

“We have a broken room down the corridor here that we use.” He steered her around a corner and down a flight of stairs she hadn’t noticed before, and Dinah noticed the way the lights dimmed. “The rooms here have issues so the maintenance teams haven’t been working over here for a while, they just do the easy stuff first.”

 

“Ok,” Dinah watched as he moved away from her and tapped on the door in four sets of knocks. Wally appeared on the other side and ushered them inside.

 

Dinah hadn’t expected to see so many people. There were at leave fifteen, from a quick scan, but that didn’t include anyone who wasn’t currently there.

 

The room was bare save for some thick mats that covered the floors and stood side by side. A few crates lined some walls, where some people sat, and a few couches lined the one by the door.

 

Dinah noticed blood stains as well and was glad she had packed a bag with some medical tools.

 

“Good evening,” Butch called. Dinah hadn’t noticed him walk away but he had moved over to a crate and now stood atop it. The lighting was better there and she assumed it was where he would typically stand to make announcements. “How is everyone?”

 

A unison of “fine” or “fuck off” were replied and Dinah wondered why some would say that. Butch had a smirk plastered on his face, and he was obviously making a point to not look at her.

 

“As you can see the doc’s kid is with us today.” Most of the group had already been starring at her but now the rest did. “Try to behave.” Laughter rang out in the room and it felt eerie to Dinah how it echoed on the walls. She felt a little relief when Claire came up next to her and nudged her with her elbow.

 

“Welcome,” Claire whispered to her with a smile.

 

“This is the last day of initiation, so those who haven’t finished theirs need to line up!” Butch jumped off the crate then sat back against it, Wally and Paul moved over to stand by him.

 

“So, what is happening?” Dinah asked, unsure of what she needed to do. She had only wanted to learn to fight, not join Butch’s gang.

 

“They have initiation, its kinda brutal.” Dinah watched as a few lined up against the mats. “They have to fight to get in. They land a blow and they start higher then a grunt, if they don’t they start as a grunt.” Claire beamed. “I got Wally square in the balls,” she looked so proud, and Dinah felt it for her as well. “So, are you joining?”

 

“I just wanted to learn to fight and Butch brought me here.” She shrugged.

 

“You two are together, right?”

 

“Yeah?” Dinah didn’t know why that came out as a question. They weren’t discreet and he was always looking out for her. He called her his girl. When she called for help he came running, regardless of who it was.

 

Old feelings of insecurity rose up. He did also abandon her here while he took care of business, and for days at a time she wouldn't hear from him. Was he ashamed of her in this setting? He had no problems in the main halls, but that wasn’t in front of his group. She was tugging on her sleeves when Claire nudged her again. “He did tell us to behave,” she smiled and Dinah felt a little relief. “So you want to learn to fight? Why?”

 

Dinah hadn’t expected to tell anyone else about this, so a lie didn’t set on her tongue. “It seemed kinda cool? Butch always has those bruises and he says it’s a rush.” Claire didn’t look like she believed her but she was merciful and dropped it. “Is that Trey over there?”

 

The girls watched as the dark hair fair skinned boy landed a punch on Paul, though he looked fairly roughed up as well. The girls watched as Trey fall back on the mat as Butch called out an “approval”. Dinah turned her eyed towards Butch and felt relief as he gestured her over to him. She nodded to Claire who was already halfway to Trey.

 

Butch was reclining atop the crate, his back against the wall.

 

“This isn’t what I expected,” Dinah said awkwardly as she stood before him.

 

Butch shrugged. “This is what you wanted.”

 

“Not necessarily.”

 

“It’ll be good for them to see you like this, trying.”

 

“Trying?” She furrowed her eyebrows.

 

“You are an academic, they pick on you and I’m kinda tired of constantly threatening everyone. It’ll help to have you stick up for yourself more. I’ll get you some one on one training soon, but this will help too. And it will help to have you learn from multiple people, see different styles.”

 

“Wait.” Dinah held up her hand. “Am I expected to fight, tonight?” She glared at Butch, rage causing her face to turn red.

 

He had the decency to look ashamed as he confirmed that she would.

 

 

* * *

 

 


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh it gets intense going forward. Also, this is the longest chapter I've written for this story. 
> 
> Not much left after this! Maybe two more chapters?
> 
> Side note: Thank you all for the kind reviews and kuddos, they are greatly appropriated! :)

Dinah was nursing her bruise for a little over a week. When asked about it she said she took a fall in the greenhouse and the old metal tables leave marks. Her bangs were just long enough to cover it.

 

She hadn’t landed a punch and, while looking terrified, Wally landed one on her close to her eye. During the free fight afterwards Butch had knocked him out with a dark look on his face.

 

She had avoided Butch since. For over a week she had worked, then gone home to her fathers. She even was taking her meals at home. She was avoiding messages from Butch and Claire and if Trey mentioned something in the lab she would ignore him too. She knew she needed to talk to him, but she was still so furious. He could have told her his plans. Instead he blindsided her and led her to harm.

 

It was Amata that pulled her out of her rage. “Was it Butch?” Amata was standing outside the lab, her arms crossed and her eyes furious. “Is that why you are avoiding him? He reached out to me today to check on you.”

 

Dinah had been closing the lab up, Trey had been called to the Overseers office earlier, when Amata confronted her. “I told you what happened,” Dinah flashed her a smile as she swiped her keycard by the door to lock it.

 

“Yeah, I don’t believe you.” Amata sighed, her skin looking flush. “Look, whatever happened I want to know.” Dinah scowled at her. “You are avoiding everyone. Even Trey, when I cornered him the other day, said he had no idea. His face got crazy red and he wouldn’t look at me.”

 

“Amata, you don’t need to worry about it. I’m just a little upset right now.”

 

Amata cocked her head to the side, her dark hair in a tight bun so nothing was loose. “Dinah, a bunch of people have been getting bruised lately. I’m suspicious.”

 

“It was an accident, and Butch could have prevented it but he didn’t.” Dinah finally said. “People saw it happen and I think, because we all know how Butch is, they aren’t saying anything because he’s also upset.”

 

“Wally? Cause you know his face is still blue and Butch randomly glares at him at dinner.”

 

“Kinda.”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“I will be.” Dinah’s smile was genuine now. “So, my party is in a few days. The big one eight.” She walked next to Amata as they made their way down the hall.

 

“Join me for dinner? With the girls?”

 

“Will they ask about the bruise?”

 

“Duh,” Amata said with a smile. “But we need to talk. We will move on quickly but _you_ need to talk about it too!” Amata thread her fingers with Dinah’s and tugged at her. “Last Sunday we had a turnout I wasn’t expecting. I think that now, regardless of what happens at my _coronation_ we are going to get those doors open.”

 

In one month. Dinah didn’t feel ready. Her dad wanted to move within the early days of Amata becoming Overseer, he said it would be _cleaner_ and _easier._

 

“ _Coronation_? When did we start calling it that?” The girls laughed as they walked into the cafeteria and Dinah noticed the snakes in the corner now took up three tables. “His group is really growing.” Dinah commented.

 

Amata nodded. “I don’t know if I’m worried or not.” She looked to Dinah. “Do you know?”

 

“Defiantly nothing to worry about, I think you are all on the same page.”

 

“Let’s hope. Not all my ideas are going to go over smoothly.”

 

“But you’ll talk to us about it?”

 

“Absolutely. I still plan to have a weekly meeting when I’m Overseer but have it as an open invitation. Anyone can sit in on it.”

 

“That’s a good idea.”

 

“I hope so, you never know how things will go in the vault.”

 

Dinah made it a point to not look in Butch’s direction. “So, has your dad passed on any secrets?”

 

Amata laughed. “No, he says once I’m officially Overseer he will pass on his terminal to me. I doubt there is anything to scandalous.”

 

She has no idea.

 

Susie stood up as the girls approached and reached out to touch Dinah’s face. “What the hell is this?” She didn’t control her voice and a bunch of people looked their way. Dinah took her hands and moved them from her face.

 

“I need someone to clean the greenhouse for me more often. I fell in a spill I had made and not cleaned up well. Those tables are painful.” She made a grimace.

 

“ _Fuck_ that. Wally told me what happened.” Christine chimed in. Everyone turned towards her. “Just tell them the truth Dinah, I don’t see what the big deal is.” When Dinah remained silent, her face red, Christine supplied the answer. “She tried to join the snakes but to get in you have to fight.” Christine took another bite, her eyes narrowed. “The big question is why the hell _you_ wanted to join.”

 

Amata was watching Dinah as she processed a response. “So, I had it correct? Well, sort of?” Amata asked. “Why would Butch put you in that situation?”

 

“Honestly,” Dinah took a seat and made a mental note to watch out for Christine. “I didn’t know that this was going to happen that night. I had commented on it a few times and Butch just, well, he just took me there and didn’t explain anything until I was pushed in the ring.”

 

“Couldn’t you have treated that bruise by now. You have all those stempaks?” Susie asked as she sat next to her.

 

“I wanted Butch to have a reminder every time he saw me.” Dinah’s voice was rough and she took the tray offered to her as Andy floated past. “I’m mad at him still.”

 

“I would be too,” Christine said. “But don’t be ashamed. I’ve been talking about joining up too.”

 

“What is the appeal?” Amata asked.

 

“It’s a support group, they have your back and visa versa.”

 

“I don’t get why people want that? What kind of support do you need in a vault?” Amata pulled her tray closer and grabbed some carrots. “These are great by the way, good job.”

 

“Its more about for when we get outta here.” Susie said. “I’ve joined already. Freddy didn’t know what hit him when I fought him. I didn’t make it that night you were there Dinah or I would have supported you. I didn’t know.” She looked sad. “Who was it?”

 

“Wally.”

 

“Yeah, Butch beat the shit out of him afterwards, so feel better about that.” Christine said with another scowl on her face. She had been angrier more and more often lately.

 

“Well, we have another meeting soon. I’ll go with you? You’re in now right? Did you get a hit in?”

 

“I didn’t. I was so shocked I just fell when he finally hit me.”

 

“So, you’re going to be a grunt for now. They have really weird request. You may be cleaning some apartments or taking others work when you’re free. Or, if you’re lucky, they’ll just ask you to smuggle out some stimpaks. Which, I think, you already do? So, stop until they ask and just stockpile them somewhere.”

 

Dinah sighed. “I guess I should read all these messages I’ve been avoiding from Butch.” She glanced over at the table and jolted at the thunderous look Butch was sending her. “I should talk to him.”

 

“After we talk about your birthday. It’s in two days!” Christine said as she and Susie leaned towards her excitedly. “I’ve got the extra food rations for it and drinks too. You’ll be old enough to be out after the curfew but honestly I figured you would go home with Butch and he lives in my hall anyway.” Her smile was coy. “So, are you going to marry him?”

 

“What?” Dinah didn’t know why that question startled her so much. They had never talked about it, so maybe that was why. They had such a bigger picture to think about.

 

“Come on? Who else? The incentives are totally worth it, and, as my mom always says, you can stop living in sin.” Susie said with a smile.

 

Amata shrugged. “Or don’t. Your call.”

 

A chill ran down her neck and Dinah figured Butch was still glaring at her from across the room.

 

“We haven’t discussed it. Honestly, he,” Dinah swallowed nervously, “he has never said he loves me either.”

 

The table grew silent and the girls looked at her with a mixture of emotions. Susie looked at her with pity and Christine looked furious, as was her new normal.

 

“Dump his ass then. You don’t have to be with someone who doesn’t love you.” Christine spit out. “Plenty of other men out here now. Find a new one. Trey seems taken with you.”

 

“I mean, he shows it in other ways. If he didn’t care he wouldn’t have done what he did to Wally.”

 

“Beating up other men is _not_ an appropriate way to show you care.” Susie said with a grimace. “He didn’t tell you about the fight first. Do you tell him that you love him?”

 

“Constantly.” Dinah said as she pushed her half-eaten tray away. Christine reached forward and started eating it. “He always gets so happy when I do.”

 

Amata was pushing her food around. “Maybe stop saying it?”

 

“Why? If you feel something you should say it,” Susie said. “But maybe reevaluate?”

 

Butch was such a part of her world she couldn’t imagine him not being the man she loved.

 

They had a point though. He didn’t always act in her best interest and he had put her in a perilous situation recently. Did she need to find someone else to help her? He was the first boy she had ever cared for. First kiss. First time.

 

“I may put my foot in the water and see if anything happens.” Dinah said but she didn’t know how she felt about it.

 

“You need someone who cares about you. Openly.” Christine’s eyes moved over Dinah’s shoulder. “You don’t need a guy who doesn’t know how to treat you.”

 

“Uh,” Butch stood behind them and Dinah tensed. Christine had probably said that for him to hear. “Can we talk, Dinah?” When she turned to face him, she noticed his face looked pained.

 

“Two days,” Susie said as she got up to leave. “We will see you tomorrow at lunch? We can iron out the rest of the details.” She almost had to drag Christine away who was glaring at Butch. Amata stood to, her tray still half eaten. Amata pat Dinah’s shoulder.

 

“Message me later.”

 

Dinah turned away from Butch for a moment, collecting her thoughts. “You can sit down.” She told him.

 

“I figured maybe we could go somewhere more,” he moved into her eyeline, “private.”

 

Dinah looked up at him, trying to keep her expression blank. This was the man she had chosen to love. This was the man who knew all her secrets and more.

 

This was the man who let her get bruised in a fight she didn’t expect to have. Nor really want to have. He hadn’t discussed anything with her first.

 

“I want to apologize.” He said quietly.

 

“Then do it publicly.” She said in a normal voice loud enough that the table next to them could hear.

 

Butch’s shoulders tensed up, his thick jacket making a noise as it moved. “I’m the leader of the Tunnel Snakes, babe. I have an image to keep.”

 

Dinah felt dread in her stomach. He was good to her in all things unless it came to the Snakes. She mentally went over all the things she had ignored for the last few months. Maybe the reason he handled himself so well was because he was keeping up with them better then her. Maybe the reason she thought he was more mature was because he was taking out his emotions there.

 

What secrets did he keep? She had told him everything. _Everything._

 

Lifting her chin, she met his eyes and realized she was crying.

 

“ _Fuck_ ,” he hissed as he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry.” He said, loud enough that his tables in the corner grew silent.

 

Dinah felt a little triumph at that.

 

She nodded her head at him, wiping at her face as she stood. She turned and walked away, and he chased after.

 

* * *

 

 

“There are constantly people in that room, I wouldn’t be able to just take you in there. And you should be part of this, you need support too. I want them to _want_ to help you when the time comes, but I can’t show favoritism.”

 

“You could have warned me before.”

 

They were sitting in her apartment on the kitchen counter, her boxes along the walls and the room mostly bare. She had gotten the keys the week before but was still sleeping at home until they provided her with a bed. Her _kitchen_ had already been set up, the fridge stocked with food and drinks. Really it was just a fridge and a small counter, no stove or shelves.

 

Her apartment was a studio, her bed would be in the same room as her living room and kitchen. Her’s had no bathroom like Butch’s did. They were trying to push her into marriage. That was why the guys got bigger apartments.

 

His hand lifted and she moved her face away and watched his hand fall.

 

“What do you want from me? Now you will get great training.”

 

“You made me join your group without seeing if I even wanted to.”

 

“You could have walked away.” His voice rose and his jaw clenched. “You didn’t have to stay Dinah.”

 

“Yes, I did.” She clenched her hands together. “How would it have looked for me to walk out of there. All those people, you _are_ right that we need more support, but again warning me would have been better. Butch I have told you _everything._ This is something _minor_ that you didn’t prepare me for.”

 

He leaned back, his face pointed towards the ceiling as he kicked his foot against the floor. “I’m sorry.”

 

“You could have told me something. Like _hey Dinah, I know you want to learn to fight but first you need to get in a fight with my buddies._ ”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“Fucking _Wally_. It had to be him too didn’t it.” She reached up to touch the bruise over her eyebrow that was almost gone.

 

The two were silent and finally Butch looked down at her. His face angry. “What do you want from me?”

 

Dinah felt her stomach clench. He sounded upset, he had been apologizing to her and that wasn’t something he did often.

 

“Butch,” she kept her hands in her lap as she met his eyes and felt relief when his began to soften. “I love you. You know this. But, I don’t know how you feel about me.”

 

“What? Of course, you do.” He furrowed his eyebrows together and leaned forward, unable to follow the connection in these topics.

 

“No, I don’t. I know what you show me. How you try to protect me. But then you throw me into a situation without help. And while you beat the shit out of Wally afterwards you still let me get hurt.” She wrung her hands together. “I tell you I love you all the time.”

 

“You want me to say it back,” he realized. “Dinah, you asking for it makes it mean less.”

 

She looked down, and felt tears come back. “You made it so I had to ask.”

 

He reached forward, cupping the side of her face. Leaning forward he rested his forehead against her own.

 

“My whole life you are the only person to tell me you loved me and made it feel real. My father was a drunk who beat me and mom. He verbally abused us publicly and made my mom the piece of work she is. My mother, who is so much better now, didn’t ever tell me she loved me as a child. I was a burden, the reason her husband drank. She tells me she loves me constantly but it feels forced from her. I can’t even tell _her_ I love her. Then you come along and make me have these _feelings._ I want to protect you, I want to constantly be near you. It’s really frustrating sometimes.”

 

Dinah looked at him and noticed his eyes were closed.

 

“The Tunnel Snakes were the first group of people who made me feel like I was worth anything. Back when it was just Wally, Paul, Freddy and I, we looked out for each other. Validated each other’s anger. Now my group has grown. But you have to prove you belong and that wasn’t something I could make an exception on. I told Wally he would have to fight you, I figured you had enough anger when it came to him that you may get a hit in. I can’t show you favoritism. You have to earn everyone’s respect. They will probably come with me when we leave, at least most will. We need to be a group. I look out for them and they look out for us too.”

 

When he opened his eyes, Dinah leaned in to kiss him. Somewhere in that was an _I love you too._

 

* * *

 

 

Dinah was late to her own birthday party. She had been making extra stimpaks, as was her grunt work, and wanted to get a few extras done. She had attended the meeting that night after talking to Butch and had met with Susie. The girls had gone over some basics, how to use your feet when you moved and to not stand still as Dinah had the first time.

 

Butch had made it a point to talk to her that night, had even patted her check affectionately with witnesses. It was improvement.

 

She was still staying at home, but after today she would have a bed in her apartment and would be staying there. It was the gift from the Overseer, Amata had told her. She would get a bigger bed then even Butch had.

 

As she walked in a loud _Surprise_ rose from the large group, even though she was aware of the party.

 

Christine ushered her inside and gave her some cake, something Andy had made her that morning. Dinah was surprised at the turn out, she had expected close friends only but it looked like most of the Snakes were here along with others from the more recent graduation group.   


Amata was sitting on the couch, in Freddy’s lap, with a drink in her hand talking adamantly about her _plans for the vault._

 

“She’s a little bit of a lightweight,” Susie said as she came up to the other girls. “Maybe two drinks?” They laughed as Amata spilled a little on Freddy and he smiled like a fool.

 

Susie made a drink and placed it in Dinah’s hand. “Vodka and juice,” she smiled. “Your signature drinks.”

 

The girls smiled, as it was the only real option in the vault for drinking. “So, what happened with Butch?” Christine asked as they watched Amata laugh loudly.

 

“He apologized publicly.” Susie said for her. “He even went as far as showed affection, though not much, at our last meeting.”

 

“Did he say he loved you?” Christine asked.

 

“Kind of. I think it’ll take a lot for him to actually say it to me. But, I think he’s working on it. He now knows it’s important to me.”

 

Claire came into the kitchen and hugged Dinah. “Happy birthday,” she said as she pulled back. “Do you feel old?”

 

Dinah laughed. Eighteen was not old.

 

“How old are you again?” The girls bantered for a few minutes and Dinah felt herself surveying the room.

 

“He’s not here yet,” Claire told her.

 

“Oh? Who said I was looking for him? I may have just been looking at who showed up.”

 

“In the hopes of finding him.” Claire laughed.

 

“I think the boys had something they were looking into first.” Susie said. “Wally and Paul aren’t here right now either.”

 

“Ah, the originals. We used to hate them so much,” Christine said with a smile. “Are you guys hungry?”

 

As they all settled into the room Dinah found herself sitting by Amata who had started to spill out of Freddy’s lap as she took in her third drink.

 

“Having fun?” Dinah asked Freddy. His face was flushed and he just nodded as Amata wiggled on his lap as she straightened up from yet another almost fall. “She seems to be as well.”

 

“I think she wants to get it all out before she takes over.” He whispered back. After that Amata nuzzled into his neck at he had a blissful look on his face.

 

Trey came over with Claire, Dinah was starting to think they were involved, and sat on the armchair near her. “How’s the face?” Trey asked as Claire sat on the armrest.

 

“Getting better.” Dinah shrugged as she gently touched it again. The bruise was mostly gone, and now she was treating it to clear it up.

 

“Good,” Trey said as he grabbed a bag of food from the table. “We defiantly have our work cut out with you though.” Claire swatted at him. “I mean, you got hit pretty easy and honestly we could all tell Wally was being nice. Butch still beat the shit out of him after.” Dinah nodded, finishing off her drink.

 

“My goal is to kick his ass soon too.” She waved as she wandered back to the kitchen for a refill.

 

“I _am_ sorry about that,” Dinah turned to see Wally leaning on the counter, Christine at his side with a smile. “I honestly did _not want to hit you._ ” He laughed a little. “Butch was not pleased.”

 

“Sorry I was an easy target,” Dinah said with a little more anger then she meant too. “I wasn’t prepared to be put in that situation that night.” Sighing she tugged at her hair and put it into a messy bun. “I’m sorry Wally, I just, well, wasn’t expecting any of that and Butch just.” She waved her hand in the air. “He does not communicate well.”

 

“Duh,” Wally said with a laugh. “You’ve known him for as long as we have. He doesn’t communicate well. He just talks and acts.”

 

Christine nudged him. “Butch just got here too by the way. He’s showing Paul something, I think, then he will be back.” Dinah finished her cup and refilled.

 

 “He’s was in the hall, there are a lot people out there too.” Wally said inclining his head. “Maybe he’s out there still.”

 

Dinah nodded, taking a drink, and headed out. She felt a little lightheaded, it had been a while since she drank in succession like this. When she looked out into the hall she realized that Wally was right, there were a lot of people out here. Other rooms were opened up and she could hear a radio playing music in the hall.

 

Poking her head in a few rooms she felt anxious when she didn’t find Butch. As she rounded the corner she walked into the last room in the hall, the door partially open.

 

Inside was an ‘almost apartment’ as they called them. Almost set up but not all the way ready yet.

 

The walls were a dark grey, the wallpaper hadn’t been applied yet, and it smelled musty. Dinah was turning to go when a hand reached out and grabbed her. She turned and found Paul behind her with Butch a little further back. He dropped his hand when she turned and smiled. “Happy birthday,” he said as he nodded to Butch. “I’ll find you later man.”

 

Butch nodded goodbye and Dinah looked up at him with a drunken smile. “Miss me?” He asked as she leaned into him, his eyes landed on her exposed neck. “How much have you had?”

 

“Not that many?” It suddenly hit her that she was tipsy. “I should slow down.” She put her drink down and Butch picked it up and smelled it. He didn’t drink it. “What are you guys doing in here?” She looked around wondering what they were looking into.

 

“We were exploring a little. This room has a major tear in the back, the room opens up to the caverns below. We were talking about going down with the Snakes later.”

 

“Is that a good idea?”

 

Butch shrugged. “Probably not. When were we known to make good ideas?” He smirked at her and wrapped his leather clad arm around her shoulders. Leaning in he brushed his lips on her check. “Happy birthday,” he cocked a smile at her. “Sorry I didn’t see you earlier.”

 

“We’ve all been busy,” she said with a slight slur. “Yep, I defiantly need to pace myself better.” She smiled as Butch tossed his head back to laugh. Something she was glad to see him do, she recalled as a child he never even cracked a smile unless he was tormenting her.

 

“Come on, lets go see the others. I want to talk to them about this room and seeing what it looks like down there. You can see something down the path, I think it leads to another part of the vault.”

 

As they wandered back down the hall Dinah noticed a lot of looks as they went. He hadn’t removed his arm from around her, his jacket zipper kept making this noise as it hit her side, and she felt flush.

 

As they walked back into Christine’s a chorus of _Butch_ rang out from people and Dinah once again realized how much his group had grown. A group she was now a part of.

 

At a party for her they celebrated him.

 

As she de-tangled from him she smiled at the way he still tried to hang onto her, his hand finding her lower back. They may celebrate him but he followed her.

 

For the first time in her life Dinah felt powerful.

 

Turning, with courage she usually didn’t have, she grabbed his face and kissed him in a room full of witnesses. After a moment of hesitation, he kissed her back. Dinah could hear a few cat calls and whistles in the room that grew louder when he picked up her and sat her on the counter before pulling away. She had knocked over a few cups when he sat her down but she felt pretty numb as she reached for one to finish it off.

 

“Hey! That was mine,” Amata pouted on the other side of the table. She was leaning against it, her arm flung over Freddy and her body sagging a little. “I should stop,” she sobered momentarily. “Want to take me home Freds?”

 

“I think your dad woul-“

 

“Your home.”

 

“Oh, OH. Oh. Yes, absolutely. Let me just,” he helped her balance. “You sure?”

 

“God,” Amata moaned angrily. “I’ve been in your lap all night!”

 

“Yes, ok, lets go.” He was very flushed as he helped her through the door and Dinah watched with a smile. She was starting to think Amata had planned that.

 

“He’s so shy, with her at least.” Butch muttered as he moved to stand between her legs. His hand rested on her thigh as his other held a drink someone had brought him that he hadn’t touched.

 

“She _is_ our soon to be Overseer.” Dinah said with a laugh. “That would be a bit intimidating.”

 

“I guess,” Butch shrugged. “She’s not what I expected her to turn into.”

 

“What?”

 

“I mean, when we were kids she was such a stick in the mud. Always so uptight. You both were.” He arched an eyebrow at her shocked face as he placed his drink on the counter and she picked it up. “That note I wrote back in school? I wanted to scandalize you, but then I figured out I liked you a bit too.”

 

“I still have that note too.” Dinah laughed at his startled expression.

 

“You kept it? I always wondered what happened to it. Me and the boys spent days trying to think of what to write.”

 

“What? You told me not to tell anyone!” Dinah reached forward and pushed him. As he moved back towards her she left her hand on his shoulder.

 

“Well, I didn’t tell them what I ended up doing. And also, I was wicked young and couldn’t stop thinking about ya. They kinda knew I was into ya back then I think.”

 

“Well, Mr. Deloria. Here we are.” She leaned back and smiled at the way he followed her motion.

 

“You moved into your apartment yet?” He was talking quietly as he reached for her neck to pull her towards him.

 

Dinah felt a chill run down her spine. “Just missing a bed,” she said as she watched his lips cock up to one side.

 

“So, you’ll be using mine tonight.” He laughed when she pushed him away.

 

“Your incorrigible.” She flushed at the way people looked at them but was pleased that no one looked that surprised either.

 

“You wanted me to be more open, right?” He moved around the counter to put up the cups she had accumulated. “Will you be okay for a bit, I wanted to talk to Wally for a minute about that room.” Dinah nodded and continued to sit on the counter as he walked away.

 

She defiantly had some power over him.

 

* * *

 

 

She was on his back in an hour as they left the party. She had another couple of drinks and was fairly drunk by that point. Butch had just backed up to the counter and let her climb on, his hands hooking under her thighs. She vaguely realized he hadn’t had anything to drink.

 

Apparently, she said something because he was talking to her about it.

 

“Remember years ago, when we did those family medical histories? We all kinda realized that alcoholism ran rampant in my family, and honestly after all the years of my mom being the way she was,” he shifted her up his back and she made a startled noise, “I don’t want to go down that path. Know this, if you ever see me drinking something is wrong.”

 

Dinah nodded her head sleepily. “Ok,” she slurred out. “I turned eighteen today Butchie.”

 

“I know, Runt.”

 

“We have some big plans, right?”

 

“Yup. Amata moves up in a few weeks-“

 

“No, me and you.” She ran her hands through hair and she could almost feel the way his eyes rolled back a little.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Like, everyone else is getting married,” she put her head on his shoulder, her arms crossed over his torso. “But then again you won’t tell me you love me either.” She sighed. “Maybe Christine is right.” Her hand slipped into his shirt and he moved a shoulder to make her focus.

 

She was drunkenly playing with fire, very aware of what she was saying but she couldn’t stop.

 

“About what?” He sounded agitated.

 

“That maybe I need a different guy.”

 

He stopped outside his door and swiped his keycard, not saying anything. As the door closed behind him he sat her on the ground gently and walked to his fridge. Grabbing a cup, he filled it with water from his small sink and brought it back to her. “You’re drunk,” he said as she took a sip.

 

“Yeah.” She agreed as she put the drink down on his small counter.

 

Tossing his jacket on the counter she watched as he ran a hand through his now dry hair, the gel had long dried out, as he surveyed her. Dinah placed her hand on his to stop his fidgeting. “Sorry,” she said as she moved away. “I can go home if you want? I know sometimes I’m a bit of a hassle.” She was turning to go, a small faulter in her step when he reached out and took her hand. Pulling her back he wrapped his arms around her into a hug.

 

She didn’t really remember them ever hugging.

 

“You mean _everything_ to me.” He said into her hair, which had fallen loose at some point on the way to his apartment. “Who knows who I would be without you. What my life would be. I will do anything for you. Hell, I plan on letting this vault burn to the ground if I have to in order to keep you safe.” He pulled back and put his fingers under her chin. “But, I will not be bullied into being a different person. I am who I am and you say you love me.” He swallowed a thick lump in his throat. “If you are serious though, that you are that unhappy-“

 

“No. I’m drunk and being mean.” She reached out, her hand resting on the crook of his arm. A small smile spread on her face. “Thank you.”

 

“What for?” He pulled back, starting to unzip his suit and remove his boots.

 

Dinah followed him, sitting on his bed to work on her own shoes. “You put up with a lot of my shit too.” She tossed them towards his door so she wouldn’t fall on them in the morning. Tugging on her zipper she cursed as her hair got caught. “Do you think I should cut it?”

 

Butch picked up a section of her hair, pulling it out of the way as she worked her zipper. “We may have to, before we leave. It could get in the way. Or maybe keep it up more. I like your hair a lot though so maybe my opinion is a little biased.”

 

“I ask you because I want your opinion. Also, you are my hairdresser.” She fell back on the bed, her suit on the floor.

 

“Barber,” he picked her suit up and put it in the basket by the closet door then returned, looking down at her.

 

“So that room,” she started as she rubbed her eyes. “What’s the plan?”

 

“We already wanted to start exploring parts of the vault that are locked off. The cavern is a good start. The Overseer must know its open like that, so why hasn’t he closed it off? We want to look into it. Paul and Wally should be down there tomorrow with a group of people. You are coming to the meeting, right? We can work some more on your reflexes. Maybe bring that BB Gun and teach some people too. Your dad did say that lots of people use guns out there.”

 

“Hmm. Have you brought yours? Do you still have it?”  


Reaching out under the bed he pulled the old gun out and waved it in the air. “Need bullets. I am hoping we find some stuff in the outdated wings we don’t use anymore. That’s how I found some before.”

 

“You guys have been down there before?”

 

“Yeah, plenty of times. Amata asked us to kinda, look around. But there is still so much we haven’t seen. This vault was huge, don’t know why we don’t use more of it.”

 

“Lack of population.” Dinah replied. “Also, it’s easier to control people when they have less options on where to go.”

 

“Makes since. With this vaults goals it would be wise to slowly limit them, so they rely more on the Overseer.”

 

“Amata will be Overseer in a few weeks.” Dinah turned to him, her arms curled under her head.

 

“Are you nervous?” He sank down on the bed, his knee between her thighs and his hands bracing by her face.

 

“I’m terrified.” She said honestly. “Amata has been my best friend for years, but me and you have had time to learn about this place and know what to expect. I don’t think she will be like her dad, but she’s also young and inexperienced. I also think Alphonse is dying.”

 

“What? Why?” He sat up, pulling his knee back a little.

 

“There is no way he would willingly step down. I think he would have died in office if his health permitted. But this way he wants to shape her.”

 

“Hmm,” Butch reached forward and stroked her head. “So, was it a good birthday?”

 

“Pretty nice. It was a lot of people.”

 

“They are your family now too.”

 

“True.” She smiled and closed her eyes. “I love you Butchie.” She said.

 

“Come on, lets get under the covers.” He sat up and helped her move so she was under them, her head already nestled on his arm. After a few minutes he smiled to himself as she slept.

 

* * *

  

They woke that next morning to a loud banging on the front door. Dinah sat up groggy, tugging her tank top down and rubbing her eyes as Butch opened his door with a vulgar greeting. “What the _fuck_ , Wally!” He was rubbing his eyes and leaning on the frame. According to her pipboy it was around 6AM.

 

“Major problem!” Wally was panting and Dinah realized there was dirt and mud all over him. There were a few people behind him as well. “There is something down there. It got one of the kids. It’s this, terrible thing. We have it blocked in but it killed Sammy.”

 

“What?” Butch was turning to Dinah, gesturing to his jacket. She walked up and grabbed it and he fished his switchblade out. “Grab the bat and BB Gun too, in the closet and by the bed.” He turned to Wally, shrugging his jacket on. “Where was this?”

 

“In the caverns. We got to a door that led into this old reactor room. But inside was this creature. Like, it looked human!”

 

“Describe it a little more,” Dinah said as she handed Butch the bat but held onto the BB Gun.

 

“It’s easier to show you.” Wally rubbed his eyes.

 

“I told you we would go tomorrow,” Butch snarled as he grabbed his key and shoved it in his pocket. Nodding his head Dinah and Wally followed closely, the rest of the group on their heels.

 

When they reached the room from earlier Wally took the lead, Butch followed after him then everyone else. Dinah did her best to not get to far in the back, luckily most people knew to let her stay close to Butch.

 

The cavern was dark, the rocks around them sharp and Dinah bumped into the wall a few times. A bunch of the others had their pipboys active and had their lights on, which helped, but the ground was uneven and most of the vault dwellers were unaccustomed to this type of floor.

 

“Here,” Claire came up next to her and grabbed her arm, her grip firm. “Be careful, this thing is terrifying.”

 

“It killed someone?”

 

“I think so, we saw Sammy get dragged away and his screams were,” Claire grew quiet, “so loud.”

 

Dinah clutched the gun to her chest. “Does anyone else have a weapon?”

 

“Some more bats, and a few batons.” Claire eyed her gun. “No one has something like that.”

 

“It’s Butch’s,” Dinah said. She had given it to him years ago but he knew she was the better shot.

 

After ten minutes they came up to a huge window, like the kind looking into the reactor or vault door, and the group was silent. Butch moved forward, a cigarette in his mouth, as he surveyed the room. It was silent and Wally was standing next to him, tense as a poll.

 

“Its in there. It looked like a human.”

 

“Did it have clothing? Was its skin kind of milky?” Dinah moved forward to be closer to the window, though she would rather be anywhere but here.

 

A loud slap sounded and the group jumped, a few screamed, as a creature slapped its body against the glass making it vibrate outwards from the force. Luckily vault tech did somethings right.

 

“What do you think?” Butch asked her as he moved the bat up against his shoulder. “Ghoul right?”

 

“What?” Wally said from next to him. “You’ve seen this?!”

 

“No, not until now,” Dinah said for him. “Its eyes are so black.” She commented as the creature continued to assault the glass.

 

“Did you guys get in there? How far did you get before it found you?”

 

“We spent almost thirty minutes in there then it came crawling from the ceiling.”

 

Dinah swallowed and felt relief when Butch reached out and took her hand. “It’s a ghoul alright.”

 

“What the _fuck_ is a ghoul!?” The group was closing in on them as Wally yelled.

 

“Did you see any more?” Butch sighed and tossed his cigarette down and stomped it. “That,” he gestured with the bat at the window and a sound emitted from the creature. Like a scream and moan. “That used to be a vault dweller.”

 

Chills ran up and down Dinah’s back. “What?” Claire said from behind her.

 

“When you are exposed to radiation for long amounts of time your brain begins to,” Dinah checked her BB Gun for bullets. “Your brain shuts down but the radiation keeps your body alive. It becomes a mindless machine that just looks for sustenance. It doesn’t always kill you, but that thing,” she gestured at the creature that was now just panting against the glass, “is a feral.”

 

“How do you know this?” Claire asked, her voice quiet. Others behind her echoed the question.

 

Looking up at Butch Dinah gathered her courage. “Because they are all over the wasteland outside the vault.”

 

“Why do you know that?” Paul came up next to Wally, a baton on his shoulder like Butch.

 

“Because my family is from the other side.” Dinah turned towards the group. “When we get the doors open, this is on the other side.”

 

“Why the hell do we want to doors open them?” Claire asked as she secured her hair in a bun.

 

“Because there are also people out there too. Cities even.” Dinah took a deep breath. “The world ended but not everything died. Other vaults opened their doors long ago. This one did too for a while.”

 

Turning back to the window, the group looked on as the feral limply watched them, its hand against the glass with claw-like nails.

 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” A girl asked from further back. “Why tell us now?”

 

“Because now we need to band together and really plan, get ready for what’s out there. No matter what happens with Amata those doors will be open soon. And we will all have a choice to make.” Butch turned to them, he was twisting his arm around and rotating the bat, his hand on his forearm as he warmed up. “Protect the vault, one way or another. Stay and keep peace or go out and find resources. We don’t have enough of a population, inbreeding is in only a few generations.”

 

“We need to make a pledge now,” Dinah spoke up. “That we keep this to ourselves until the time comes. You are all loyal to Butch right? To Wally and Paul and Freddy? To each other?”

 

A murmur passed through the group. Approval and speculation.

 

“We will kill this thing and explore more of the place. Learn what we can and keep it to ourselves. Tell _no one._ ” Butch said as he met every one’s eyes. A few muttered and a gasp sounded out as another scream tore from the room.

 

Three feral were now in the room. Wally looked to Butch, then at Paul. “We have a lot to discuss.” Wally addressed the group. “But the priority here is to kill these things and see if Sammy is actually dead.”

 

“You don’t know?” Dinah was shocked. Looking at the creatures as they started to crowd the window filled her with dread. He could be alive in there.

 

“We stopped hearing the screams on the way out. We didn’t see him die,” Paul looked ashamed. “But we need to kill these things, before they find a way out.”

 

“They’ve been in there a while though?” Claire asked, Trey coming up by her side. “Can’t we leave them?”

 

“Its safer to kill them. They know we are out here now,” Butch said. “Everyone prepare. Anyone with weapons up front, aim for the heads and limbs. We need to hinder them. Dinah,” he turned to her, “be careful and stay back. You do good ranged.” Dinah nodded, her heart racing.

 

“Be careful,” she told him. He nodded and the group started to split. The original Snakes were up front, and a few others with weapons crowded them. Dinah was surprised no one had fled, they really were loyal.

 

“Ready?” Butch said as Wally found his card.

 

Swiping caused the door to slowly creak open and a dim light in the room turned on as they all rushed in. A few people yelled as they entered, as if to amp themselves up.

 

Butch swung the bat quickly at the closest feral and it fell quickly but recovered and began to crawl quickly back to him. He swung the bat downwards, hitting it in the top of the skull and a sickening sound escaped it as the soft skin around its head sunk in. The creature wailed and grabbed at his boot, its claws removing chunks of leather. He tried to hit it again but the creature held its arm up and the bat tore it off, its arm falling to the side and going slack.

 

Dinah tried to line a shot from her spot by the door but luckily Paul impaled its head with his baton. The two men high-fived before going to assist some others nearby. Turning her gun towards another feral by the window Dinah watched as four of the others took it down, its brown blood splattering on them and the floor.

 

One left. Dinah swung the gun around, trying to find it and a scream escaped her as it tackled her to the ground. Her gun fell from her hands, clattering on the floor. She kicked her feet up, luckily the ghoul was light and was easy to get off, but it recovered quickly and tore at her skin. A large gash was bleeding form her leg as she kicked it in the face, the creature roared as it surged forward and Dinah lifted her arms to protect her face as it crawled its way up her body.

 

A bat swung out, removing the top half of its head and sending the body to the right of her where it hit the wall with a dead thud. Butch stood before her, breathing hard the bat in both hands, his eyes blow.

 

He reached down and picked up her gun and tossed it at her. “There are more,” he told her as he turned. Dinah hurried after him, her leg screaming in pain. “Are you okay?” He asked, his voice deeper then she was accustomed to.

 

“I need to patch my leg up, but I can handle clearing this place out first.”

 

Butch nodded, and Dinah noticed that his bat was soaked in blood. The ferals had brown blood, almost black, she realized and maybe Wally wasn’t covered in mud like she had originally thought. “Stay close,” Butch turned to her. “Don’t get hurt,” Dinah nodded.

 

Rushing back into the room she realized that there were two more feral bodies on the floor and what appeared to be a few radroaches.

 

There were also two bodies on the floor that were theirs. Sammy and another girl, Dinah couldn’t place her name. As they approached Dinah saw that Sammy was still breathing, but his breathing was shallow and his eyes looked blank. He didn’t have much time, and Dinah’s doctor training kicked in. She dropped her gun and moved over to him, a gash similar to her own ran from his chin down to his navel. His shirt was in shreds and his skin was so pale. She felt for his pulse and it was slow, too slow.

 

He was going to die.

 

“Sammy?” She reached forward to touch his forehead and his eyes moved shakily over to her. “I’m so sorry, Sammy.”

 

Reaching out, Sammy placed his pipboy in her hands. “Tell them,” he swallowed and licked his dry lips. “I-.” His body heaved and Dinah felt a sob leave her.

 

She barely knew this kid and here she was crying over him.

 

* * *

 

 

Two more rooms had been cleared and now they were all cleaning up. Almost fifteen ferals had crawled from holes in the ceiling and walls. Then radroaches came as well. Even a few hairless giant moles as well.

 

Dinah was leaning on an old desk that had a dust covered terminal on it, her leg being wrapped by Claire. “Put a little pressure, it won’t hurt me.” Dinah said as Claire tied off the end of the shirt they had used.  

 

Everyone was silent, going through cabinets and desks. Mourning in silence. Terminals were being powered on and Dinah wondered if anyone above would notice the power surge.

 

Claire stood, a stain on her cheek showing she had been a part of this fight. “You need more training. I saw Butch save you twice.” Her voice was harder and Dinah wondered how long it would be before she smiled again.

 

“We will get home and rest, act as if this didn’t happen for now. We have a meeting later tonight and we will discus what we need to do going forward.” Wally said from next to Butch, nursing his arm. Butch was sitting in a chair, his head in his hands with his eyes closed. “We leave in a few, so everyone collect anything you want or that looks important.”

 

The group talked among themselves and Dinah moved over to Butch. When she put her hand on his shoulder he sat up quickly, his eyes wide. “Dinah,” he sighed. Reaching out she took his hands and knelt down, wincing as she did. “You feel okay?” He asked.

 

“No. Do you?”

 

She felt so weak. She always had thought of herself as a strong person, but today she found out she was physically and mentally useless. She had always thought she was good with a gun but she only made one good shot today. It saved Paul’s life though.

 

“I want to vomit,” he told her honestly. He looked so tired. “I also feel really _fucking_ powerful.” He sighed and put his head down. “I shouldn’t feel that huh?”

 

“I’ve never been in this situation before Butch. I honestly don’t know how you’re supposed to feel.”

 

“We need to talk to your dad.” He said as he looked back up, rubbing his chin as he yawned. “Bed first,” he said as he started to stand. Pulling her up he looked at her leg. “Does it hurt?”

 

“Not really. Stings a little. Walking is going to be difficult.”

 

Butch was surveying the room. “We lost two people, Sammy and Beverly.” Turning to Wally and Paul he started talking about what to do with them. Dinah pulled the strap from her gun and swung it over her back then reached for the bat Butch still had clutched tightly in his hand.

 

They had found a few more bats and a few actual guns down here. Ammo was in one of the other rooms and some people were trying to figure out what went with the guns. Dinah figured they would take everything anyway. “Everyone should wash up once we get back. Don’t get an infection.” She said as she stood in the doorway to one of the rooms. A few people nodded, but she noticed the distrustful looks others sent her.

 

She repeated her statement to the last room then turned to go back to where Butch was. As she approached he reached out and took her hand, then kissed the top of her head as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He was defiantly shaken from this experience.

 

“Do you need me to carry you?” He asked. Dinah looked around and saw a few people already doing the same and nodded her head. He squatted down and she slowly swung her legs over his sides. As he stood back up she let him take his bat back and she put her forehead between his shoulder blades. “I have a shower in my apartment, you can use that one.”

 

“You too,” she told him.

 

The group made a slow progress back up to the main section of the vault, it was eerily quiet as they went. Wally and Paul lead the way and Butch and Dinah were at the back.

 

As they all spilled back into the vault a few headed towards the public bathrooms and the rest split to their respected homes. Some would be going home to families with these dark secrets. What about Beverly and Sammy’s families? They would notice their kids missing.

 

Would anyone be able to have a normal life again?

 

Maybe the right thing was to have let them live in ignorance for the rest of their lives. Maybe the best gift would have been to never let them know of the terrors out there.

 

According to her father ferals weren’t the worst of it.

 

* * *

 

 

The water was warm, never hot, but it felt amazing. Dinah stood under the spray, listening to Butch as he spoke to Freddy at the door. She had left the bathroom door cracked a little for him, an open invitation.

 

“We need to have a meeting as early as possible. And do _not_ talk to Amata about this yet.” The two continued speaking for a few more moments then she could hear Butch sigh heavily as the door closed.

 

He pushed the bathroom door open all the way as he entered and after he wrestled and swore at his clothing he joined her under the water. His hands moved to her hips and he nudged his way under the water, blood and dirt going down the drain below them.

 

She moved against him slowly, her hands bracing on the wall as he pushed against her. His hands were fisted over her hips and his head moved to her neck, his lips moving slowly over her, as he slowly pushed into her from behind.

 

His hands were moving over her and he was being gentler then she recalled him ever being.

 

Her leg was still sore, and he seemed to notice the pain as he lifted her leg off of the ground, which helped him angle into her deeper. She reached behind her with one of her hands, burying it in his hair, and she whispered his name. He angled his head up, his lips brushing hers and she felt herself shaking with the emotions from the last few hours.

 

She had seen death, decay, carnage. She had seen people kill and be killed. She had almost died twice and had saved a life.

 

Her hand in his hair pushed him against her mouth rougher, her body shaking. He mumbled something then moved her around, pulling out briefly, so her back was now pressed to the wall. He pulled back, his forehead resting on hers as he took a steady pace, his eyes screwed closed and his hands holding both her legs up. She tossed her head back, her hands restless on him, trying to caress and scratch.

 

“I love you.”

 

Dinah’s eyes shot open as she realized that it was him who said that, not her. His eyes were still closed, tightly, and his hands on her thighs were rougher as were his thrust. She gently grasped his face, turning it up towards her, the water hitting his forehead. “Say it again?” She whispered.

 

His thrust slowed to a stop and he kissed her lazily. “I love you.” He was being so quiet. “I saved your life a few times tonight,” he breathed against her, “and I realized, I had to tell you.”

 

Licking her lips, she nodded her head and moved her hips against his own. “Again?”

 

He cocked a small smirk at her, “I love you.” She tipped her head back.

 

“Again?”

 

Her orgasm was powerful.

 

* * *

 

 

Their meeting was only eight hours later, most of them had to show up to work but left early for some reason or another. It would be noticed, for sure as it was only 4PM.

 

Butch was sitting on his crate, with his original crew next to him. Wally was directly to his right and Freddy and Paul flanked them.

 

Dinah took a seat with Susie and Christine, both who looked shaken. So, they had been told.

 

Susie saw the limp Dinah was sporting and she quickly started to ask questions. Christine reached out to take their hands, her eyes wide. “What happened?”

 

Butch loudly cleared his throat at the front of the room and the quiet chatter died down.

 

“Most, if not all of you, have heard about what happened this morning.” His eyes were hard and Dinah didn’t think she had ever seen him like this.

 

He was in his element now.

 

Dinah was prepared for this. She had helped him plan his speech for hours, neither of them working today.

 

“The wasteland has many creatures out there, and all of them want to kill us. What we saw in the lower levels is nothing compared to what is outside this vault. We will be increasing our training starting today and making plans. These doors are going to open and we are going to have the option. We need everyone to make their decision soon. Will you stay to protect to vault or leave with us to help the vault. Regardless of what you chose, the vault comes first. As much as that _fucker_ brainwashed us, it is true. The vault must come first. When I say the vault though, I don’t mean this hunk of junk. I mean the people. We are the vault. We are a family and we will protect our own. We _will_ face resistance.” His eyes scanned the room and landed on Dinah. “We all have questions, and I’ve fended you off for long enough. Dinah?”

 

She slowly pushed herself up, Susie and Christine looking startled as she made her way forward with a slight limp.

 

“As some of you know, and the rest of you have speculated. I am not from this vault.” Chatter took over and Butch yelled for silence. “My father brought me here when I was a baby, from the outside. That’s why no one knew of me or my family. Why my father has all these vaccines generations haven’t ever seen. I was born outside in the wasteland. That’s what people call it, a wasteland. Its full of monsters, like the ones we saw last night, but worse. But,” she took a deep breath, “there is also something out there we don’t have. Hope.” The room burst into conversation again and Butch yelled louder, Wally joining him. “They have been through the worst and they are strong. Yes, there are monsters, but also people. Humans like us who just want to survive and grow. There are cities full of people. Trade for things we need, we can offer water and they can offer food, ammunition. We can expand the vault and learn about the world out there. They will help us if we help them.”

 

“How do you know?” Someone called from the group. “What if they just try to kill us?”

 

“Some will.” Dinah said. “My father lived most of his life out there though, working on a cure for a huge issue. Water. Many people helped him, in return for this idea. Not everyone is good out there. I’m sure we will face plenty of danger.” She tugged on her sleeves nervously. “But isn’t it worth the risk? This whole world is waiting for us.”

 

The room was silent, and Dinah moved to stand next to Butch and Freddy. Butch reached forward to rest his hand on her arm. “Sammy and Beverly died this morning. We can’t just close ourselves off and let that have been in vain.” He looked out at the group. “If you have questions or ideas we have an open door. Talk to us.” Wally sat up and walked out to the group, bending over next to Christine who looked pale. Susie reached out to her brother and Paul moved over as well.

 

Turning to Freddy, Dinah and Butch laid out their plan regarding Amata.

 

* * *

 

 

James was furious when his daughter talked to him that night.

 

Dinah had waited in the apartment with Butch and Wally until almost 3 AM, when her father came home. At that point she had been awake for almost twenty-four hours.

 

“How many people know?” He had raged as he looked at the three youths. When they told him, he gripped his hair roughly in rage. “Dinah, I have always told you _discretion._ I didn’t want to tell your boyfriend, and now I am proven right.” Butch puffed up but Dinah put a hand on him to calm him.

 

“Dad, there were ghouls down there.”

 

James looked up at her, his eyes red from lack of sleep. “I need a little more time. Now we don’t have that.” He rubbed his jaw, stubble scattered on it. “Jonas needs to know. We have to escalate the timeline. We have, maybe, a week.” He was mapping out a plan. “I need to talk to this group of yours. When do you meet next?”

 

“Tomorrow night,” Butch said. “We will meet daily now until the doors open. We need to train.”

 

“Damn right you do.” James looked at his daughter’s leg sharply. “And you say people died?”

 

“Two others.” Wally said stiffly.

 

“Let me think,” James paced the room quickly his mind racing. “I assume you already have plans laid out with your little gang?”

 

Butch and Wally both started to get defensive but Dinah answered first. “They have a good plan dad. And they are going to help us any way they can, as long as we help the vault too.”

 

“I’ve always told you that we can’t help _everyone._ ” James exclaimed. Dinah hadn’t seen her father this frazzled before. She hadn’t meant to ruin his careful plans. “We have to look at the big picture.”

 

“We are! And when we are done with that we will help the vault. They have done so much for us dad, karma demands the favor be returned.”

 

“ _Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”_ Dinah quoted. Her father stilled, his hands running over his face.

 

“Damn it,” he sighed. “You are your mothers daughter.” He smiled, sadly. “I need to go get Jonas. What will you be doing?”

 

“Talking to Amata.” Dinah said. “She needs to know what’s coming. We can’t keep this contained any longer.”

 

“Please hold off for another day. Avoid anyone who doesn’t know.” He closed his eyes. “Get some sleep and heal up. When we leave it will be quickly and, probably, violently. Even with her on our side, plenty will fight this.”

 

“Understood,” Wally and Butch nodded.

 

“Pack, have bags ready. I will get this door open, I already had a contingency plan in place for if Alphonse fought us on it.” Looking around his room his eyes landed on the framed bible verse. “Take that Dinah,” he pointed to it. “There is a picture of your mother in the bedroom as well, take that.” Dinah rushed in to grab it, clutching it to her chest. “Now, get back home.”

 

The group left, Wally rushing the other way to get to Christine faster.

 

As Dinah and Butch approached his mothers Dinah stopped him. “Do you want to tell her?”

 

Butch eyed the door to his old home wearily. “No, I would rather not.”

 

“She deserves to know.”

 

“And she will, when we leave.” He moved forward, grabbing her free hand that wasn’t clutching the frames, and pulling her down the stairs with him.

 

They passed a security guard on their way down and they both noticed him taking their names to report.

 

“Will that be a problem?” Dinah asked.

 

“We have a man in security, I think we’ll be fine,” he said. “I just want to go to bed.” He muttered as they rounded the last stairwell to get to his apartment. “I wonder if we will get any sleep out there.” Dinah moved past him into the apartment, the photo frames left on the counter as she slid into the bed after taking off her boots. Butch followed suit, not bothering to remove his clothing either.

 

* * *

 

 

Dinah had Amata meet her for lunch the next day.

 

Her leg still was throbbing and it was obvious she had been injured. Luckily a fourth of the vault was part of the Tunnel Snakes.

 

“Dinah? Butch? _Freddy?_ ” Amata rushed to them confused. “I got your message this morning and rushed out. My dad was not happy. What happened?” She looked at their serious faces and lowered her voice. “What did you want to show me?”

 

The group made their way down the stairs to the room they used to get into the cavern.

 

“Amata,” Dinah took her hand and made her meet her eyes. “We are going to show you something, and I need you to be calm and talk to us. We have a lot to tell you as well.” Amata shook her head, swallowing loudly.

 

Freddy came up next to her, taking her other hand. Dinah turned to Butch and they turned the lights on their pipboys to lead the way.

 

As they approached the room Amata was already muttering to herself. “I didn’t know this was down here? Is that a light on? It has power out here? I didn’t think this was part of our power grid?” Her questions ceased as they entered the room and she saw what lay waiting.

 

Dinah noticed Butch tighten his grip on the bat he had, and also noticed it had nails in it now.

 

Amata clutched Freddy’s arm as she noticed the two vault dwellers as well. “What is this?” She looked to Dinah, her eyes watery.

 

“This, is what your father has kept hidden for the last generation. These are old halls that used to be occupied that he abandoned. According to the logs we pulled from his terminal, these are rebels who didn’t agree with him.”

 

Amata was pale, her lip between her teeth.

 

“You sent us to search the lower floors and we found them,” Butch was speaking softly. “We had to kill these things, but Dinah’s dad told us what they were.”

 

“How did he know? Oh Beverly,” she sighed.

 

“Because me and my dad are from outside the vault,” Dinah said. The group froze as a creaking noise sounded in the hall. Butch held up a finger for silence and slowly stalked over to look into the hallway.

 

She heard him swear, as he rounded the corner and a screech sounded as it saw him. Amata screamed as they watched the ghoul tackle past Butch, he had dodged out of the way in time, and he struck it down with the bat. The nails dug into its skin, blood flying up as he removed the weapon and struck again.

 

Amata had thrown up next to them as he pulled the bat out of the creature’s side, a sickening suction sounding as he used his foot to hold the creature still. Freddy was rubbing Amata’s back, squatting down next to her. At Amata’s sob Dinah reached out to silence her. “Let him make sure there aren’t more,” she told her friend. Amata nodded, her face flushed and bile on her chin.

 

Butch returned a moment later, giving them the all clear. “We got most of them yesterday.”

 

“This has been below us for how long?” Amata looked at her pipboy and coughed. “The radiation down here is fairly high. Do you all feel okay?” She talked softly looking at everyone. At their nodding she stood up, and wiped her mouth. “You are from outside? I must see my father immediately.”

 

“No!” Dinah said sharply. “Not yet, we aren’t _ready yet.”_

 

Amata’s shoulders sagged. “How do we not do anything?”

 

“We are going to open those doors. The day of your _coronation_ ,” Dinah used the word to make her friend smile a very small smile. “Until then though, we are training. My dad is preparing. We are deciding who will stay to support you, and who needs to go with us. Either way, we are doing this for the vault.”

 

“How is this for the vault?” Amata glared around her.

 

“I honestly think, over time this would have become us. We need people to help us repair this place, to help us grow. You worked in the labs, you know inbreeding is almost upon us. We need fresh blood in the vault. I think plenty of people would love to have the safety we can offer, in exchange for their skills too.”

 

“My father is a monster,” Amata spit. The group was silent as they watched her process this.

 

“Ok, what do you need from us?” Freddy asked as he looked up at Butch and Dinah.

 


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has it been a year? Almost. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy all the steamy goodness and plot that is about to TAKE OFF. Sorry, its kind of short for my standards but I needed to get a new chapter out here. It's only a few left, maybe two all together. We are going to skim over a lot of the main game plot, to get to our own goals in this story. 
> 
> So sorry for this delay!

It was the eve of Amata’s _coronation_ and the excitement and anticipation in the air was thick. The vault was busy with activity, from the elders preparing to _guide_ the new overseer and making plans to the Tunnel snakes preparing for their massive exodus.

 

Dinah had two bags packed, and was standing before a room of Tunnel Snakes trying to bring order to their chaos. Most of the others had never needed to pack before, even when they had sleepovers their own homes were literally a walk down the hall, so there was a nervous energy in the room. Dinah’s father had helped her prep and had created a list that Dinah was distributing around the room.

 

“Essentials!” She clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention and Wally whistled behind her to settle the group down once she had finished passing out the small slips of paper.

 

Wally would be staying, they needed a strong leader in the vault to help, and someone who Butch trusted. Dinah felt odd about it, shouldn’t Amata be their sole leader within the vault? Though, most of the vault didn’t know her the way their classmates did. Amata would have struggles from the older dwellers and younger, so Wally would help unify the younger class at least. Plus, Christine had found out she was pregnant and was hysterical over the idea of him leaving and there was no way she would be safe out in the wasteland in her condition.

 

Freddy would be staying with Amata as well as they were due to be married in a few weeks. They didn’t know what would be happening after the doors open though, Amata wasn’t optimistic and she needed someone by her side to help, not only physically but emotionally as well.

 

Paul and Susie would be going with Butch and Dinah. James had warned them that the Wasteland changes people, makes them harder and more erratic and both Dinah and Butch needed strong people, also emotionally and physically, with them.

 

Jonas was attending this meeting, teaching basic first aid and programing some pipboys so they could have a reference guide later. James had been in the night before, telling tales from his time outside. A few looked sick, terrified, and Dinah felt a tug at her chest when she noticed even Butch was kicking his foot against the ground and rubbing the back of his neck occasionally. He seemed a little more optimistic now that he had seen the group but that didn’t’ mean he wasn’t anxious.

 

Dinah had gotten a little better with fighting, though she had much to be desired. She could dodge a few blows, and had hit some people a few times. Her leg was still sore, the red gash running up the side had mostly healed. She luckily had access to medical equipment here in the vault, but she knew outside if anything happened she could have died from it.

 

Butch had started making _weapons._ Mostly bats with nails, barbed wire they had found, some Batons fused together. Everyone had something. Dinah had her BB Gun and a pistol from the lower levels with a few bullets as back up. Butch sported his switchblade but, after James talking to him about it, had learned it wouldn’t be much help unless he could get up close. So now he was learning to shoot the BB gun better so he could shoot with a real gun when they could get their hands on one.

 

James had confirmed that there were plenty of resources outside, you just had to find them.

 

Clapping her hands again she drew attention back up to her. “Essentials. Don’t bring your favorite blankets or anything overly sentimental.” A few people looked at each other. “We can’t guarantee that things won’t get lost, stolen or destroyed out there.”

 

Butch spoke up from the other side of the room. “We leave tomorrow as soon as Amata opens those doors, so we need to be ready _now._ Ask questions before we leave for the day because it is going to be crazy tomorrow, we won’t have much of a chance of getting something we forgot.”

 

Dinah turned back to help Susie with some medical supplies, the two girls had a lot in their bags and Susie needed to know what each was for.

 

After a few more minutes the two girls parted ways, Susie needed to report to work. Dinah turned back to the group and felt that heavy weight on her chest once again.

 

How many would die?

 

How many would never return home?

 

Did everyone _genuinely_ want to leave?

 

A hand came up to rest on her lower back and she jumped slightly when Butch leaned over to talk to her. “Relax, Runt. Don’t want them to see you sweat.”  He kissed the top of her head, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. The two looked out at the group and he sighed. “Did you ever think we would make it this far?”

 

“Honestly?” Dinah chuckled. “I thought it would just be you four and eventually you would disband when you realized how lame you all were.” Butch laughed and pushed her.

 

* * *

 

When they returned to their rooms later that night Dinah couldn’t stop her hands from shaking as she roughly grabbed Butch and pushed him into the door. “This is our last night in the vault,” she whispered desperately to him before kissing him.

 

His hands came up to rest on her hips, pulling her against his pelvis so she could feel him. “I know,” he muttered as he pulled on her hair and ran his lips over her throat. He slowly ground her into him, her moan swallowed up in his open mouth.

 

He made quick work of her clothing, tossing them into a pile on the floor, possibly for the last time. Moving her forward he pressed her against the kitchen counter and removed his suit as well. Now bare he wasted no time and lifted her up on the counter. His lips were hot on her chest as he kissed all over, his hands on her back and ass as he squeezed and lifted her occasionally. Dinah had wrapped her legs around his chest, humming appreciatively at the attention he was giving her, her pussy already wet for him.

 

As he pushed a finger inside her he groaned loudly and pushed her onto her back on the counter. Getting onto his knees he sloppily licked along her lower lips, his thumb rubbing her nub slowly. Dinah arched off the counter as he moved his lips up and sucked roughly on her clit. Her hands quickly found his hair and she held him in place as he quickly brought her to climax.

 

Her moan was loud, her body arched off the counter as she felt the sensation wash over her, one leg in the air as she rode the sensation.

 

Butch leaned back, a cocky grin on his face, as he watched her panting on the counter, her chest rising and falling quickly as she caught her breath. She laughed, delighted, at him when she finally looked his way.

 

He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and stood, leaning over her he gently kissed her lips. “I’m gonna make you scream all night tonight,” he mumbled as he gently lifted her up, keeping her pressed to himself, and walked her over to the bed.

 

Placing her down on it he moved over her, his hand holding the side of her face gently. Dinah groaned lowly as he pushed into her. The hand from her face slowly pulled away and he grasped her legs, under her knees, and he lifted them up and apart. As he fully seated himself in her he slowly pulled out then gently pushed back in. Dinah felt the heat return to her oversensitive body and was soon groaning as he slowly fucked her.

 

One of her hands reached back and gripped the sheets around her, and the other reached forward and found her clit. She lazily rubbed it, enjoying the small build to yet another orgasm. Butch ran one hand down to her ass, lifting her slightly as his thrust reached deeper. His hand lingered for a moment and he enjoyed the way her breath came quicker as he held her up.

 

“I love you,” she spoke quietly as their eyes met and he had to fight the reaction to look away.

 

His hips snapped forward and he enjoyed the way her breast bounced at the action. Removing his hand from her ass, and smiling at the groaned protest she made, he reached forward and palmed her breast, his thumb flicking over her nipple roughly. They pebbled quickly, already halfway there anyway, and he released her other leg to bend down and take it in his mouth. His hips slowed, unable to multitask and keep the same speed, as he ran his tongue over the peak.

 

Dinah’s hands found his hair, pulling at the stiff threads until she could run her hands through it freely. As he pulled away she took the opportunity to moan in his ear, not to loud to hurt his ear drums, and thrust herself against him. Butch groaned, his hands finding her hips as he sat up and the pace increasing.

 

“So needy,” he mumbled as she arched her back and presented herself to him again by spreading her legs farther apart. After a few more rough thrusts, with the help of her slim fingers, she came again, this time around his length, with a loud yell that sounded similar to his name. Butch had to take a deep breath through his nose and slow his movements to stop himself from coming. Her muscles pulled at him, bringing him to the edge, and he had to slowly move away from it. He had plans for her after all.

 

Dinah was limp under him, her hands resting on her forehead and chest, and she had her mouth wide open as she collected herself.

 

“I love you too,” he finally said as he leaned forward and kissed her, pulling out at the same time. She groaned, unable to reply, and reached back for him, to keep him close. “Nah, Runt. I’ve got some plans tonight.” He stood up at the side of the bed and surveyed the room. “I want to fuck you all over this place, so if anyone moves in, well,” he laughed. “I want every surface to have had you on it.” Lifting her up, not waiting for her to do it herself, he moved her over to the kitchen table and put her down on her stomach. Dinah moaned, unable to do anything else, as he entered her from behind. He lifted her leg up and rested it against the table, her clit rubbing against the cold metal surface.

 

Her hands reached out and gripped the edge of the table, unable to do more then simply hold on as he plowed into her.

 

Butch was muttering things to her, _beautiful and fucking fantastic_ , with each thrust and Dinah couldn’t stop herself from moaning so loudly they would surely hear her in the hall.

 

As she came again, each time coming quicker then the last, she felt him quicken his pace and cum inside her shortly after she finished groaning. She was limp on the table, her leg falling to the floor lazily as he pulled out, his spend on her thigh.

 

“I thought,” she wet her lips as she turned to look at him. “You wanted to fuck on all the surfaces.” Her eyes widened when she saw the stimpak nearby.

 

“Don’t worry,” he pulled back and grabbed the small syringe. “It’s going to happen.”

 

* * *

 

Amata stood on a raised platform, her suit cleaner then Dinah had ever seen before, it was probably new. Her father had just stepped away from the small podium and Amata moved to it quickly, nervously.

 

Dinah had always looked up to Amata, she was the Overseer’s daughter after all, and knew that this must be terrifying for the girl-but she would be amazing.

 

Butch stood next to her, his jacket removed as a sign of respect to Amata so the others had followed his lead. It still overwhelmed Dinah, how many followed him now, and would continue to in the hell that awaited them. Her father was near the front, Jonas next to him. He looked back at her once, while Alphonse was still speaking, and had smiled in reassurance. It had eased the feeling in her chest only slightly.

 

It was similar to the feeling when she had to give a report in school and didn’t feel prepared. She couldn’t stop her foot from bouncing and her hands were sweaty. The air felt hotter then usual so her normally fully zipped suit had a few inches opened to the air.

 

Her bag was stowed away in one of the closets that was on the way to the doors, along with fifteen others.

 

_Sweet merciful God, protect us in our time of need._

 

She didn’t often pray, something her father always had said he wished she did. She felt that God was something untouchable, and why would he listen to a small girl such as herself. She didn’t have anything important to say, nothing worth listening too.

 

Except now she did.

 

_Protect Butch, my father and all our friends. Help guild us down the right path._

 

She swallowed thickly, her mouth feeling dry, and realized she hadn’t been listening to Amata at all.

 

_Keep Amata safe, she needs you just as much as we do._

A few people were yelling in the front rows, Amata must have said something about the door because her father was on his feet now and his face was a furious red.

 

_Please protect us all._

 

Chaos erupted then. The loud scrape of multiple chairs rubbing the linoleum echoed in the atrium.

 

“It’s that damned doctor and Snakes!” Someone yelled up front and Dinah’s hand was quickly snatched by Butch. “We can’t open the doors, we will die!”

 

The voice was shrill and Dinah wondered if it was one of the plants they left. A few people who weren’t known to be Snakes, to blend with the general population. To be their eyes and ears.

 

Butch stood then, her hand still firmly in his. “It’s the future! We are nothing if we stay here forever. Amata, tell them about the lower levels!” Dinah stood too, at least fifty eyes zeroing in on her, and squared her shoulders.

 

“It’s the truth! This vault isn’t safe for any of us anymore. We need to go out-“

 

Butch’s mother stood then, cutting Dinah off. “Are you telling me we have _fuckin_ dead people walking around in the lower levels? Do you think we are stupid? Our Overseer wouldn’t hide that from us.” She crossed her arms, her aged face pulled tightly into a frown. Dinah knew this would be difficult for some, but this was Butch’s _mother._

 

He was tense only for a moment before he yelled at her to sit down.

 

Amata’s voice rang out suddenly, her words strong and clear.

 

“Not only was that hidden from us, but much more too. I plan on having an open dialog about _everything._ ” Her eyes cut across to her father who had gone from cherry red to pale as a sheet. “But we start with those doors, today.”

 

“We never should have let him in Alphonse!” Someone yelled from the front and Dinah briefly saw red as her father turned to his accuser.

 

“I saved many of your lives,” he said calmly and Dinah desperately wished she had that kind of control over her emotions. “But I need to save more. We need _out.”_

 

The flurry of action afterwards was startling and Dinah was tha­nkful that Butch was hanging onto her as they moved. A few had stood around them and had actually _lunged_ at her father. He had quickly dodged and began his run towards the doors, Jonas not far behind. Butch pushed a few people out of his way, as they began to yell and crowd them.

 

Butch yelled to his Tunnel Snakes, jackets going on, and Dinah looked up to the dais were Amata was. Amata had a hand wrapped around her midsection, another to her heart, as her father yelled at her and the group trying to calm them. Security had moved in, torn between listening to the old Overseer and the new.

 

“We have to go,” Butch hissed as a shot rang out. Someone had fired a gun and now there was no way this would be peaceful. “When I find out who the _fuck_ did that, they are _dead._ ” He hissed as he surveyed the area. “Let’s go,” he pulled her along as he moved quickly through the throng of people.

 

Dinah felt her feet move, though she wasn’t sure it was her moving them. She could see the tail of her father’s lab coat as he rounded a corner, his hand now holding a gun. The group came up to their closet and she quickly pulled out the bags, finding hers, and placed them along with wall with Butch’s help. He slung his over his shoulder, more duffle bag then rucksack like hers, and whistled to his group. “Meet up at the town to the South. Remember, _Tunnel Snakes Rule!”_

A few hollers and yelps echoed around them and Dinah felt a thrill run up her spine. This was happening, it was finally time. After all the years of talking, all the years of planning.

 

They were about to be free.

 

* * *

 

The sun was blinding. Dinah had quickly fallen to her knees once they were outside, a few others doing the same, with the intensity of it. Her father had been farther ahead and she wondered if he had struggled as well.

 

Following the sun was the incredible heat. According to her pipboy, once her eyes had adjusted a little more and she could see again, it was midday. The hottest part of the day, of course.

 

The screeching sound behind them indicated that the door was closing, the last of them slipping through. Though it was much to early, not as many had escaped as they had hoped.

 

Butch was sitting on the ground next to her, his hand on her forearm as if to insure she stayed close. “Fucking sun,” he muttered as he rubbed his eyes. “I though it was supposed to be this beautiful thing, heaven forbid you look at it. And what the _fuck_ is up with the sky!? It doesn’t end,” he was hissing as if in pain and Dinah felt pity for him. She was in the same boat, of course, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to comfort him.

 

As the group around them all stood, their eyes now fairly adjusted, Butch surveyed the group from the ground.

 

Only a fraction of the people made it outside. That would help Amata immensely, but that raised a few problems here in the Wasteland. They would need to be more careful.

 

Seeing Susie and Paul caused a little relief.

 

Butch sighed loudly next to her and she noticed he had a split lip. As they had approached the door a few of the old guard had approached and an actual brawl had broken out. Surveying the others, she noticed a few scratches that needed tended to but now was not the time, they needed to get to that town first.

 

Standing by Butch she followed as he walked over to the edge of the area, an overlook presenting the area before them. A small gust of wind picked up, and Dinah was startled at the feeling of her hair moving around her and realized in the shuffle it had fallen out of the weak elastic she had used. The sound of feet shuffling confirmed that the group had followed them.

 

“Wow,” someone said to the right.

 

“It’s so,” a pause, “big?”

 

“And dirty.” Paul said with a huff.

 

“It’s hot,” said another.

 

“Ok, well there is no going back so get your _bitching_ out now.” Butch grumbled.

 

That silenced the group and Dinah felt a small smile spread on her face at the reaction he caused. “It’s also smelly,” she supplied after a moment and a few chuckles echoed around the group.

 

“And so _fucking hot,_ ” Butch finally said with a laugh. “Ok, we can complain, cause I won’t stop anytime soon I’m sure.” Running a hand through his hair he stopped halfway. “Fuck,” he pulled his hand away and Dinah quickly assessed him to insure he had no head trauma. “Forgot my hair gel.” A loud laugh came from Paul a few feet away.

 

“We should go,” Dinah said quietly with a smile. Her father had already gotten to that town by now, at the speed him and Jonas had gone at there was no way they weren’t there yet. It wasn’t that far, from the way it looked up here.

 

A few o f the group looked back, taking in the mountain that they had once called home. “Its so small, looking at it now,” Susie said.

 

“It’s our job to keep it safe, all the people we care about and our futures. It’s all tied to that place.” Butch rolled his neck and pulled his jacket off. Unzipping his suit, Butch fanned himself as he pulled his arms free and let it hang around his waist. A few others followed, Dinah among them. Slipping his jacket back on, because of course he would still wear it in this heat, he gestured for the group to start to move down the hill.

 

* * *

 

“ _Mother fucking RADROACH.”_ Butch hissed as he shot yet another one with his BB gun. The town looked closer while on the mountain, but once they had gotten to the bottom, they learned what depth of field was.

 

A few others had their guns out, Dinah as well, and were surveying the area. In the two hours since they started, they had killed fifteen radroach’s, a few hairless moles with giant teeth, giant flies and one very aggressive dog with no fur.

 

The town, as they looked back towards it, was more like a giant metal dome, something that made a few people relax as it felt familiar. It was maybe a few more miles, according to her pipboy it would be a good hour before they got there if they kept their pace up.

 

She hoped her father and Jonas had waited for them. They had a time table, and while their two groups had different goals in mind, they all still wanted to stick together.

 

Or Dinah wanted them too.

 

“Do you think everything is okay in the Vault?” A girl asked from farther back. Her black hair was wild around her face, sticking to her skin as she perspired.

 

“We have to hope so,” a boy answered back, his suit like Butch’s with his jacket zipped up.

 

Butch said nothing, rubbing his forehead and swearing again when they heard the buzzing sound of another fly. The girl with black hair, Anna, raised the bat she had in her hand and groaned as they took it out. “So gross,” she muttered as she wiped a yellow substance off her arms.

 

Dinah agreed with her. “I can’t wait to get back for a shower.”

 

“It’ll be a while before we can do that again,” someone laughed. “Remember that guy we saw a while back? He was dead right? Filthy.”

 

The group grew quiet as they remembered the dead man they had stumbled upon earlier. He had fresh wounds and Dinah wondered if he had been hostile and her father had shot him.

 

Reaching forward Dinah clutched and Butch’s jacket and pulled, forcing him to look at her. He visibly relaxed once their eyes met and a small twitch on his cheek meant he was almost ready to smile.

 

“Remember in school, when they showed us those videos of the guys losing their legs to giant mushrooms? How many legless people do you think we will find?” The blond boy, Markus, in the back chuckled. “Do you think any of it was true or were they just trying to scare us into submission?”

 

“Probably a little of both,” Butch replied as he turned to the group. “Head count!”

 

The group straitened up and Butch scanned the group. “Anyone feel sick?” Dinah inquired as well. Susie raised her hand a little and rubbed her stomach. “Want to throw up?”

 

“Just nervous I guess,” she lowered her hand and looked to Paul who ran a hand up and down her back. “This wasn’t as scary when it was just talk.”

 

Dinah turned to look at Butch, hoping he could read her mind.

 

“We may be missing a few people,” someone snorted and he shot them a glare. “We may be missing a _few_ people, but we are still a strong group. Ten people is a lot out here. That’s, what, almost a town to these people. As long as we watch each other’s backs, and are _smart_ we will be okay. If you need something _say something._ We don’t need hero’s we need survivors.”

 

“We need to build good relationships out here, we need resources for the vault, we need allies. Amata needs proof that this was a good idea, and we need to deliver on that.”

 

“All for the vault, and the vault for all,” someone muttered. A saying that they had once used as a joke, but now was true.

 

* * *

 

It was dusk when they finally arrived, most of the group had put their suits back on properly as the heat had adjusted to a freezing temp. Dinah could see her breath in the air and was thankful Butch cared enough to put his jacket over her when he noticed. Though now he complained loudly and the rest followed his example.

 

“Do you wonder if it’s like this everywhere? Or just here?” Markus asked from her left. Turning to him she considered his question.

 

“When the bombs fell, they say it only lasted for a few hours, surly somewhere the old leadership responded in kind.”

 

“If we move further away from the area do ya think it’ll be nicer?”

 

“Doubt it,” Anna said bitterly as she rubbed her arms.

 

As they approached the large dome Dinah could make out black markings on the side reading MEGATON. A song sounded from a nearby radio and the group watched as a man, leaning on the wall, sung along to a song they had all heard many times in the vault. After it ended a man, calling himself Three Dog, started talking and Dinah wondered if he was real or if they had their own form of Overseer out here too.

 

The group stopped at the gates, two men flanking the large doors and eyeing them harshly.

 

“Vaulties,” one guard said bitterly. The group glanced around, startled that he said it so angrily. “We were told to let you in by the Sheriff, don’t cause problems.” He basically spat at them. Dinah pulled the jacket closer around her and had to reach out to stop Butch from picking a fight. It was cold and they just wanted to go inside.

 

“Thank you,” she said as the group all stood glaring at the man. He tilted his head at her, as if surprised, then opened the door for them. The sound was loud drawing the gaze of all the people in the area, people would know they had arrived and hopefully her father was inside waiting for them.

 

The first thing she noticed was how everything was made of metal, much like the vault, but it was filthy. The people, the buildings, the ground. Civilization did not mean clean.

 

A dark-skinned man approached them, his tall hat tipped back on his head in greeting. “Ah, you must be the Tunnel Snakes,” he chuckled at the name and Dinah, once again, reached out to calm Butch. “I’m the Mayor, or Sheriff if you’d rather, Lucas Simms.” He gestured behind himself. “This here is Megaton, our beautiful oasis amongst the horror of reality.”

 

The group glanced at one another, trying to determine if he was joking or serious. The town was a mess, it smelled awful, and the people seemed barely alive.

 

Maybe it was like this everywhere.

 

Lucas scratched his thick beard, his eyes surveying each person in the group. “Don’t think I have room for this many,” he muttered before removing his hat and turning his back to them. “Moriarty!”

 

Farther down the path, up on a raised platform, a man stood with his arms crossed. “Got ONE ROOM,” he yelled back before turning away and going inside the building, a sign above it reading MORIARTYS SALOON.

 

“Well, that complicates things, James only mentioned a _few,_ not _many._ ” Shrugging he turned back to the group. “You’ll be wanting to speak to Moriarty, he was the one to talk with your father,” his eyes drifted around the group and landed on Dinah when her face brightened. “You Dinah?” He nodded his head at her. “Your father was here this afternoon, but him and that fellow that was with him already headed out. Said he left a message at the bar. It’s gonna be dark soon so we saved you a room, but after that you should be off. Though,” his eyes surveyed the group and their weapons, “if a few wanted to stay we would find accommodations. Need some help around town you see. Vault dwellers have a good relationship with us here, we trust one another you see.” He glanced around the town again. “A few can stay at the church, though watch yourselves there, and I’m sure Moira would help a few out if you returned a favor. Always the commons too I suppose.”

 

Butch ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “Goddamned complicated already,” he muttered. Turning to the group he gestured at a few. “Split into groups of three.” Realizing that left one extra he sighed.

 

“I can take one in my house,” Lucas said, his eyes cutting to the girl with black hair, Anna. She flushed and nodded in agreement to Butch.

 

“Ok, so Anna,” his met her eyes to ensure she was on board, “you go with the Sheriff here, Markus, Paul and Susie, you talk to that Moira woman.” He turned to the sheriff who pointed towards another raised building. “Tim, Clark and Carol, go to the church,” Lucas gestured down the hill. “Then Dinah, myself and Jenny will take the bar.” Dinah flushed, realizing she would be sharing a room with Jenny, a girl she barely liked. This wasn’t a time for petty jealousy but she just wanted to be alone with Butch, it had been a rough day.

 

Picking up on this Jenny lifted her hand, “can I go to the church with the others instead? I kinda wanted to pray a little,” she winked at Dinah and flushed when Lucas offered his home instead. “Or that,” she muttered looking at Anna who looked startled.

 

“Sheriff, do you mind if we sort this all out and get back with you?” Butch said after an awkward pause.

 

“Sure, I’ll meet you all in the bar and we can go from there,” Lucas nodded at the girls and headed off.

 

“So, what do we want to do?” Dinah asked as the group huddled up more.

 

“I don’t want to hear you two fucking all night,” Jenny admitted causing Dinah to sputter and flush.

 

“What? Of course you wouldn’t we-“ Butch cut her off.

 

“Understood.” Dinah looked at him, her eyes wide and mouth open and he simply _winked_ at her.

 

“I have no problem going with Lucas, he’s got this voice,” Anna hummed to herself thinking of it.

 

“And I’d rather, not,” Jenny said, her hands pulling at her blond hair nervously.

 

“Paul and I will for sure talk to Moira, is that okay Markus? You and Jenny can both follow us, maybe she can help all four of us.”

 

“Oh good, I didn’t really want to pray either,” Jenny said with a laugh.

 

Tim, his black hair sticking to his neck, “Carol, Clark, and myself can go to this church. Why do you think he wanted us to be careful though?”

 

Dinah shrugged. “If everyone is okay with this then we can look around too. I saw a guy buy some food further in town, maybe see what they have. I’m kinda hungry.” She rubbed her stomach and smiled when the others agreed.

 

As the group broke apart, they all watched as people moved about them, some in rags, others with pieces of metal strapped to their arms and legs. A few had large tattoos covering their faces, their chest bare, and Dinah was pretty sure they saw a woman on her knees in an alley bobbing her head as she preformed sexual favors to two different men. The sounds they heard as they walked past confirmed it and the girls behind her laughed childishly.

 

Of the group Dinah, Butch, Paul and Susie ranked oldest at nineteen. Followed by Jenny, Tim and Anna who were all eighteen. The rest ranged from seventeen to the youngest, Clark, at fifteen.

 

Dinah hadn’t even realized how young they all must look, all clean and without facial hair. No scars or tattoos. They would stick out wherever they went.

 

“We should try to find some different clothing too,” she said as they rounded a corner and they witnessed a small group, maybe four, bowing down to what looked like a bomb.

 

“What are they doing?” Anna asked, as they walked past quickly. Susie clutched her stomach again, nauseous from the radiation they all felt in the area.

 

“Looks like they are praying to it.” Paul said. “Is this the church? I don’t like this..”

 

“Me either,” Butch said. Pointing up towards the north he read aloud a sign he saw. “Common?”

 

“Like commons? Isn’t that like, a community thing? The Sheriff mentioned it right?” Jenny asked.

 

“Wouldn’t hurt to ask,” Dinah muttered.

 

“We can ask Lucas,” Anna said as they approached a stall with large amounts of steam filling the air around them. The smell was harsh, and they group watched as a few people took some food from the man offering it and bit into it. It looked like the hairless creatures they had seen before. Dinah clutched her stomach, as it rolled in disgust. That was defiantly a roasted radroach on a stick too.

 

“Might need to get over the sensitive stomachs soon,” Butch said to the group.

 

Finding a ladder, they all climbed up to the small bar.

 

After looking in Butch gestured for them to stay outside while him and Dinah went in. “Bit small,” he mumbled as they pushed their way in.

 

Lucas sat at the bar, laughing at something a woman leaning against the wall said. As they approached, she winked at them and Lucas raised a hand to her, “don’t bother love, they won’t be interested I’m sure.” She huffed, her body shaking from the action. Dinah averted her eyes and they landed on the man from earlier.

 

“Can you point the rest in the right direction? Can some stay at the commons instead of the church?” Lucas shrugged, gulping down the rest of his beer, before exiting the bar to direct the rest of their group.

 

Sliding up to the bar Dinah placed her palms against it, startled to feel something she never had before. Was this wood?

 

Butch turned from her, surveying the room as she got Moriarty’s attention. “My dad left a message for us?”

 

The man grumbled something and Dinah repeated the question. “Christ, yes he did. But,” He rubbed his chin. “Well I need something from you first.”

 

* * *

 

“That sack of shit is convinced that I’m some crazy junkie who stole money from him!” Silver yelped as she dove around a corner, a shot hitting the wall near Dinah’s head.

 

“Wait!” Dinah called out, Butch raising his gun behind her to take a shot. “Stop,” she said as she pushed the gun down towards the ground. “Just give us the caps,” she still found it crazy that bottle caps were currency here, “and we can just tell him we killed you. No one has to die, but,” she bit her lip, “we need the caps first.”

 

Silver made a startled noise, her gun falling to the ground as her hands shook. “ _Fucking junkie,”_ Butch said beside her.

 

The two had set out as soon as Moriarty told them what he needed. “Can’t wait to go to bed,” Dinah muttered as Silver gave them all the caps she had. 400, exactly the amount Moriarty said she had stolen.

 

“And you tell him I’m dead, long dead, beyond dead.” She scratched at her arms and Dinah felt anger. This once beautiful young woman was a victim to her environment. Before she could say anything though, Butch was pulling her out the door.

 

Making their way quickly back to Megaton, Butch flipped off the guards on their way through the doors, the two hurried up to the bar. It was past midnight now, and the group had agreed to meet tomorrow morning around seven. They needed an early start, and to decide who would stay in this town as that seemed like a good idea.

 

As they walked through the gates, they walked by Lucas’ house and the sounds of Anna carried over the breeze. Dinah flushed, realizing what the sounds implied, and watched Butch as he smirked, his hand finding hers.

 

Anna would probably stay.

 

Clark and Carol too if Dinah could convince them.

 

Slipping back into the bar Dinah slapped the caps on the bar, in the small sack they had filled, and glared at Moriarty. “Took you long enough,” he grunted at them. The bar was packed, and Dinah had to fight for her spot by the counter. Eventually Butch full on elbowed a man in the face to make room.

 

“Fucking _rude,”_ he said as he slid into the spot by her and leaned against the counter. “Just tell us old man so we can get out of here.” He was glaring and Dinah felt the same way, so she didn’t try to calm him down. It hadn’t even been 24 hours and already they were ready to go back.

 

Moriarty filled them in on what the needed, and they both marked the spot on their pipboys, GNR.

His hand on her lower back, Butch led Dinah up the steps towards their room. They could hear the sounds of Nova as she earned a few caps from a man she must have successfully seduced earlier.

 

As the two entered the room Dinah felt the exhaustion of the day take over a small sob escaped her. Butch quickly pulled her into his arms, his head resting atop her. “We’ll find him,” he muttered but Dinah just shook harder. “It isn’t even close to what I imagined either,” he told her as his hand ran through her hair.

 

After a few moments Dinah calmed down, her hands balled into fists in his jacket. Looking up at him she stood on her toes and kissed him gently. He muttered something to her, his hand going into her hair and cupping the back of her head.

 

It didn’t take him long to work her out of the suit, years of practice after all, and they sat onto the bed and both winced at the loud squeak it made. Nova, in the next room over, was making no effort to hide what she was doing and Dinah was partially grateful that it would help dampen the sounds they made.

 

“Glad Jenny was wise,” Butch muttered as his lips grazed over her neck. Dinah smiled, her hands in his hair. His jacket was on the floor shortly, her suit already there, and she was tugging his arms free when they heard a loud wail from the room next to theirs. Nova was loud.

 

His suit hit the floor and Dinah got to her knees quickly, taking him into her mouth. His hands moved into her hair, pulling and pushing as she worked him. Leaning back on the bed it made a slight noise and Butch actually moaned. Dinah ran her hands along his legs before settling on his knees, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the familiarity of intimacy.

 

“ _Fuck, doll,”_ he muttered as she pulled back, a small trail of saliva on her chin. Gripping her arms, he pulled her up and quickly thrust into her. Dinah let out a soft sound as they settled onto the bed. It was smaller then what they had at the vault and Dinah had to brace herself on the headboard as he rocked into her. The bed made a louder sound, the metal headboard hitting the metal wall and the sound that followed echoed around the room. They could probably be heard downstairs.

 

This seemed to urge Butch on as he made no effort to control himself. Dinah’s hand, not holding the headboard, rested on his chest. He lay under her, his hands roughly holding her hips as he pushed into her. He had his eyes closed, his mouth opens slightly as he took small breaths in time with his thrusts. Dinah ran her fingernails over his chest, smiling at the loud moan he let out.

 

Nova in the next room was back at it, apparently, she could go a while. Or she could fake it really well.

 

Dinah tossed her head back as Butch changed his angle slightly, hitting that spot in her that made her muscles tighten and her nipples grow hard. He did this a few more times before stopping and pulling her down to him, their chests flush. He grabbed the side of her face and kissed her roughly, his hips moving much slower this time. When he pulled away, they stayed close, his lips brushing hers as he thrust harder. “I love you,” she muttered as she braced her hands on his chests.

 

He swallowed loudly, his tongue wetting his lips as he surged forward and kissed her again. The bed was making a constant sound now, physically moving away from the wall, as he continued.

 

He stopped suddenly and sat up, holding her to him, as he turned them over, her back hitting the bed. He groaned as he pulled out and gestured with his hand for her to turn as well. Dinah smiled up at him, loving the way he flushed when she did, and turned over, putting her stomach against the mattress. He grasped her hips again and listed her up slightly, her ass in the air. Spreading her legs for him she enjoyed the groan he made at her presentation. His fingers found her opening and he thrust them in a few times before pulling them out and pressing into her again. Once he was fully inserted, he pulled her up, her back pressing against him, and put a finger in her mouth. “So wet for me Dinah,” he mumbled into her ear. Dinah moaned loudly, enjoying the feeling of him from behind.

 

He removed his finger and held her by the arms, right by her elbows, and slammed into her, causing her to cry out. Dinah briefly worried she was too loud, but the sound of Nova once again reassured her she was okay.

 

Bending over slightly from the force and feeling Dinah whimpered as he harshly took her. She gave up trying to hold herself up after a few more rough thrusts, her muscles desperately tight around him as she felt the pressure build in her body. He let her fall forward, one hand between her shoulder blades as he pushed her down to the bed and the other moved to ass where he spread her cheeks and rubbed his finger along her puckered hole. Dinah was thankful for her face being against the pillow because the moan that escaped her would defiantly have been louder then Nova.

 

When his finger slipped into her from behind, she came hard around him.

 

As she lay below him panting she enjoyed the way he chuckled above her, jolting her body as he did.

 

“Shoulda tried that sooner,” he muttered as he moved into her gently. “Always thought you’d like it,” he snapped his hips forward again and enjoyed the gentle moan she made, “was afraid you’d freak out.” He slid back out then snapped forward again. “Gonna take you in the ass sometime too.”

 

Dinah pushed back against him, startling him, and he moaned as she matched his pace. She slowly pushed herself back up, her hand reaching around into his hair to pull his face to hers and kiss him. “Trying new things isn’t always bad,” she mumbled against his chin as he started a rough pace again.

 

Dinah took a moment to realize the room next to them was silent and their bed was still loud. She was well sated though, and honestly couldn’t care. She didn’t have to pay Butch to do this, and he loved her. They didn’t know these people and she had had a rough day.

 

She just wanted to fuck.

 

He continued his rough thrust until he finally pushed her back down, his hands roughly gripping her hips. Groaning low he fucked her into the mattress.

 

* * *

 

The next morning came too soon. The two were flush against the other on the bed, the night before having exhausted what energy they had left. Dinah groaned as he pipboy beeped at her, the small alarm going and the screen a bright neon as it went off.

 

Butch, behind her, moaned and pulled her closer to him to prevent her from moving further away.

 

The sun was barely up and already it was sweltering in the room.

 

Untangling themselves Dinah smiled fondly as Butch rubbed his eyes angrily, his free arm still wrapped around her middle even with her sitting up. Pulling herself free she grabbed her pipboy and shut it off and turned to Butch. “We’ve got big plans again today,” she said as she leaned over and kissed him gently on the forehead.

 

“Can’t we just,” he waved his hand in the air, “not?”

 

“No, we can’t just _not_.”

 

Moaning he turned over and pulled her closer, burying his face against her stomach. “Bet they are still sleeping in the vault,” he said with a huff.

 

“Honestly,” she sighed looking towards the window that was broken and scratched. “Who knows what’s happening there now.”

 

That sobered him a little and he sat up, running a hand through his limp hair. Dinah grabbed her clothing and tossed him his. As she dressed, they glanced out the window to be sure the others weren’t waiting on them.

 

Dinah looked up at Butch and tossed him her hair brush after she fished it out of her bag. “Welcome to life without hair gel,” she smiled at his cross expression. She yawned loudly, and stretched her arms up over her head as she waited to get it back and begin the process of her own hair.

 

“Think we’ll need to cut it if we keep getting in fights,” Butch said after watching her a moment.

 

“What?”

 

“Your hair. I thought that Silver woman was going to rip it out of your head when you told her what we were doing.”

 

Dinah considered it.

 

“And maybe, you know, be a bit more discreet too.”

 

“Why?”

 

“These people are all,” he rubbed his jaw a small shadow of hair on it, “they aren’t honest like you. They are all looking out for themselves. No group mentality out here, just self.” He handed her the brush and pulled his suit up before tying the arms around his waist.

 

“Who should stay here?” Dinah asked after a moment, not ready to address what he had said.

 

 “Anna for sure, she’ll keep us friendly with that Sheriff,” he mumbled as he stood, picking up his jacket from the floor and shrugging it on. “Clark too, it would be better for him to be around more people, keep him alive.”

 

“Carol as well then. I think they can get better experience here and also help out so we always have a warm welcome here.”

 

“Deal.” Butch replied flashing her a smirk. “Wanna bet Anna will be pregnant when we get back?”

 

“I don’t know,” Dinah laughed. “I heard talk of something called a condom on the streets when we got here. Apparently, you can prevent pregnancy with them.”

 

“What? Why would you do that?”

 

“Butch,” she laughed awkwardly. “Remember the purpose of our vault? Repopulation in small numbers, like almost inbreeding over time, and control.”

 

“True,” he eyed her, “maybe we should get some of those.”

 

The two made their way out of the room, the bags heavy on their backs. As Dinah made it off the stairs she flushed at the look both Moriarty and Nova shot her. “If you ever need caps, I’m sure we could find you work,” Nova winked at her and Dinah rushed out of the bar, mortified.

 

Butch leaned on the railing, a cigarette already on his lips, and a big grin on his face.

 

“Accept it now Dinah, wherever we go you’re gonna get those looks.”

 

Dinah covered her face with her hands and sighed. “I’ll work on being quieter going forward.”  


“Please don’t,” he said softly as he reached out and pulled her closer. “I like it.”

 

“Its crude!” She laughed.

 

The two stood for a while, Butch finished his second cigarette, before the others showed up.

 

Paul filled them in on some projects Moira had for them, a good way to get caps he said, and Tim told them about some leads he had as well.

 

After some more conversations, and Anna finally joining them with a dazed look, they decided to split yet again into groups.

 

“Whatever we do and wherever we go you need these caps to survive.” Butch said. “Unfortunately, we can’t just restock at the vault like we wanted. We’ll need to get an all clear from Amata for that, which is why we need you three to stay in town,” he gestured at Clark, Carol and Anna. Anna was ecstatic, already talking about things Lucas needed around town. “Be careful there,” Butch told her. Anna nodded soberly, knowing he was right. “We did _just_ meet this guy. The people around her, well they aren’t all genuine so watch out. Clark, keep an eye on her. Paul, you and Tim go look into that stuff for Moira. Tim and Susie, you can come with me and Dinah to this GNR place.”

 

The team all nodded, before splitting ways.

* * *

 


End file.
